Seven people, including two children, were shot during a mass shooting that took place in a residential neighbourhood of Philadelphia on Monday evening.
Just hours before Fourth of July celebrations were set to take place, police responded to calls of gunfire in Kingsessing. Upon arrival, police found multiple gunshot wound victims and a suspected shooter who had fired approximately 50 shots “aimlessly.”
Residents who were going out for a walk, sitting in their cars or at home became victims of the shooting.
Of the seven people shot, four adults and one child were killed. Two other children and one adult were also injured in the gunfire.
Law enforcement in the Philadelphia Police Department apprehended the suspected shooter after pursuing them on foot. The suspect was armed with an AR-15-style rifle, a handgun, a bulletproof vest and multiple magazines.
The shooting marks the 340th mass shooting to occur in the United States this year.
Here’s everything we know about the shooting so far.
What happened?
At approximately 8.30pm local time on Monday, the Philadelphia Police Department received reports and multiple calls of gunfire in the neighbourhood of Kingessing.
Upon arriving, officers were met with a chaotic scene. There were multiple gunshot victims who police began scooping to prepare them to go to the hospital. But as they were doing so, more gunshots were being fired up the street, police commissioner Danielle Outlaw said in a press conference on Monday night.
Law enforcement officials followed the sound of gunshots on foot through multiple streets in the area and eventually located the suspected shooter, an adult, who continued to fire their firearm until officers apprehended them.
When they did, officers found the suspect assailant armed with an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun. They were wearing a ski mask and bulletproof vest that contained multiple magazines in it.
Ms Outlaw said the suspected shooter also had a scanner on him.
Authorities took the suspect into custody “without further incident”.
The suspected shooter had fired off nearly 50 bullets “aimlessly” throughout the neighbourhood seemingly without rhyme or reason. Seven people were shot, five of which were killed.
Philadelphia police initially took another person into custody for returning gunfire. But that person was later released as investigators found they returned gunfire lawfully.
Who are the victims?
Four adult males and one teenager were killed in the shooting.
Lashyd Merritt, 22, was shot while taking a snack break from work, according to his mother, Marie Merritt. Lashyd went to West Philadelphia’s Overbrook High School before taking on a full-time job as an IRS service representative.
Ms Merritt called her son, “So young and so bright.”
Dymir Stanton, 29, was also killed in the shooting.
Ralph Moralis, 59, was a father who was supposed to walk his daughter down the aisle at her wedding this coming weekend. Ralph’s former partner, Tamika Veney, described him as a family man while speaking with The Philadelphia Inquirer.
“He did well by his family. He was a regular dude, a good person. He’s really going to be missed,” Ms Veney said.
Joseph Wamah Jr, 31, was shot while in his home on Monday. His family found him hours after the initial shooting.
Joseph Wamah Jr, one of the victims of the shooting on Monday night— (Terrance Harden)
The youngest victim is Daujan Brown who was only 15 years old. Daujan was shot while walking to a story. Nashaya Thomas, Daujan’s mother, told NBC Philadelphia that he was trying to help a 13-year-old friend who was shot twice in the leg when he was hit with a bullet.
“He lost his life trying to do a selfless act, and that’s how he was when he was here,” Ms Thomas said. “There was no way you could meet Daujan, have a conversation with him and not fall in love with him.”
In addition to those who died, two children, aged two and 13, were hospitalized with injuries but were in stable condition.
Another two-year-old and a 33-year-old woman suffered injuries related to the shooting but not directly from gunfire.
As of Thursday morning, police were unsure what the suspected shooter’s motive was. They do not believe the suspected shooter had any known connection to any of the victims.
Who is the suspect?
The suspected shooter was identified as 40-year-old Kimbrady Carriker.
Carriker was armed with an AR-15-style rifle, a handgun, multiple magazines and was wearing a ski mask and bulletproof vest at the time of the shooting.
The suspected shooter had a gun conviction in 2003. Philadelphia district attorney Larry Krasner told CNN that the gun Carriker used may have been a “ghost gun”.
As of Tuesday, law enforcement said they have “absolutely no idea” why Carriker carried out the shooting.
The 40-year-old was held without bail during a preliminary arraignment on Wednesday morning. They may be facing murder charges, aggravated assault charges and firearm-related charges.
