Five people were shot dead by a gunman wearing a bulletproof vest in Philadelphia on Monday night, with two boys also injured.
Police said the suspect opened fire seemingly at random at roughly 8.30pm local time, killing four. He continued to fire as he was chased by officers down an alley, where he surrendered.
The shootings took place across several streets in the city’s neighbourhood of Kingsessing.
A fifth victim was later found, who had been chased into his home and shot to death. Bullet casings were found outside the property.
Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said no connection was immediately known between the victims and the suspect, who is a man in his 40s.
“At this point all we know is that this person decided to leave their home and target individuals," she said at a press conference.
The attacker had a bulletproof vest, an “AR-type rifle," multiple magazines, a handgun and a police scanner, she said.
A second person was also taken into custody in connection with the shooting, she said.
It was unknown whether this person was connected with the shooter, but police believe he returned fire at the shooter.
Three of the men were 20 to 59 years old, while the fourth male, who had not yet been identified, was estimated to be between 16 and 21.
The victim found in his home was 31 years old.
The two hospitalised boys are aged two and 13. They were in stable condition, police said.
“You can see there are several scenes out here,” Commissioner Outlaw told reporters.
“We’re canvassing the area to get as much as we can, to identify witnesses, to identify where cameras are located and to do everything to figure out the why.”
The shooting occurred a day after gunfire erupted at a holiday weekend block party in Baltimore, about 100 miles to the southwest, killing two people and wounding 28 others.
The wounded in that shooting ranged in age from 13 to 32, with more than half children, according to officials.
The Philadelphia violence is the 29th mass killing in the US in 2023.
