A mass shooting caused chaos Saturday night when people began firing near the 400 block of South Street, at the heart of the commercial corridor that has for decades been a popular weekend destination.
Patrons at nearby establishments, like O’Neals Pub and Theater of the Living Arts, described pandemonium and people bleeding in the streets. Multiple people were firing into a crowd, ending with at least 14 people shot.
Three of the victims died, according to Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw, who briefed media Sunday afternoon and called it a “dark day for Philadelphia.” Among those killed was Kris Minners, a 22-year-old resident advisor at Girard College. Another was identified as 34-year-old Greg “Japan” Jackson, a skater and boxer, according to 6ABC.
Tattooed Mom, a longstanding bar on the 500 block of South Street, offered via social media to help people in the vicinty find resources and support.
Gun violence is tragically common in Philadelphia right now. The city has already seen eight other mass shootings this year, according to Gun Violence Archive, which defines them as incidents with four or more victims.
Last night’s was the deadliest this year, and the largest recorded in the city in nearly a decade. It involved at least five different guns, Outlaw said.
Overall, Philadelphia has recorded at least 926 shootings this year so far, a pace that exceeds last year’s record violence. At least 188 of them were fatal, according to the Office of the City Controller, which maintains a map of the incidents.
Mayor Jim Kenney on Sunday morning called the events “devastating” and urged anyone with information to call 215-686-TIPS. The mayor’s statement was posted on social media and emailed to press; Kenney is currently out of town attending two conferences.
Here’s what we know about what happened on South Street.
When did the mass shooting happen?
Shots were heard starting at 11:31 p.m., PPD Commissioner Outlaw said.
There were multiple police officers in the vicinity at the time — even more than usual because of events taking place around the city, per Outlaw — including a large presence on 2nd and South at the time the mass shooting occurred.
“I want to emphasize that South Street is manned by numerous police officers,” Inspector D.F. Pace said early Sunday morning, according to NBC10. “This is standard deployment for Friday and Saturday night — weekends — and especially during the summer months.”
How many people were shot? How many killed?
At least 14 people were shot, and three people died from their wounds. Those victims were a 34-year-old man, a 27-year-old woman, and a 22-year-old man, Commissioner Outlaw said.
Girard College later identified one of those killed as Kris Minners, 22, a resident advisor at the school. The American Federation of Teachers also issued a statement of mourning for Minners. Another person killed was identified as Greg “Japan” Jackson, 34, well-known as a skater at Millennium Skate World and a boxer, according to 6ABC.
The other 11 people injured by gunfire, aged 17 to 69 years old, are in varying conditions from stable to critical, she said. Seven were taken to nearby Jefferson Hospital, according to The Inquirer.
One additional person was injured when they were struck by shattered glass, Philly Police said in a report issued Sunday evening. They also identified the third victim as 27-year-old Alexis Quinn.
How did the shooting start?
Cell phone video circulating online — and corroborated by The Inquirer — shows what could be the start of the incident. A trio of young men get into a fist fight near the Rita’s Water Ice, and a person sitting at an outdoor restaurant table across the street says, “They about to shoot!” The video then cuts away but keeps recording sound, and multiple gunshots can be heard alongside screams.
There was more than one incident?
Earlier on Saturday night, there was a shooting near 4th and Bainbridge, a block below South Street, Outlaw said. Some officers were attending to that scene when the mass shooting happened.
Police responded to yet another shooting near Broad Street about two blocks above of South, according to The Inquirer, which reports police found a victim unconscious on the 1300 block of Waverly Street and were worried about taking them to Jefferson, as it was already overloaded with victims of the mass shooting..
Where did the mass shooting happen?
Gunshots were first heard coming from the area of 400 South Street, according to PPD Commissioner Outlaw. Shell casings were found up and down the 200 and 300 blocks of South, 6ABC reported.
That intersection is in the busiest part of the commercial corridor. On one corner, the space formerly home to the Three Stooges-themed Jon’s Bar and Grille is still vacant, but there are bars up and down the blocks nearby.
A staffer at O’Neals Pub, just south of the intersection, described the situation to The Inquirer as “chaos.” People attending a show at the Theater of Living Arts between 3rd and 4th streets heard the shots ring out around 11:30 p.m., the paper reported.
Who were the perpetrators? Was anyone arrested?
No arrests have yet been made, according to Outlaw, who said police believe one of the people who died was a shooter involved in the original altercation near Rita’s.
Another one of the shooters dropped their gun and fled when a police officer began firing at them during the active situation, according Outlaw, who said police believe that person was hit.
The person being fired at dropped a weapon and fled, leaving behind a gun police say had an extended magazine. It was one of two semi-automatic handguns recovered from the scene, according to Outlaw, who said police believe there were at least five guns used.
The FBI and ATF are assisting the Philadelphia Police Department in the ongoing investigation, Outlaw said.
What is an extended magazine?
Also called a high-capacity magazine or large-capacity magazine, the attachment can be added to weapons to allow them to fire more rounds before reloading. At least nine states ban these, including Pennsylvania neighbors New Jersey, New York, and Maryland.
Philadelphia has filed suit multiple times to allow the city to make stricter laws around firearms, but courts so far have not allowed it, including one decision that came in late May. At issue are commonwealth laws known as “preemption” statutes. These stop Pa. municipalities — “preempt” them — from being able to make tighter gun control laws than exist at the state level.
If you or someone you know has been affected by gun violence in Philadelphia, you can find support and resources here.
