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Toddler among 7 shot near Philadelphia school

Philadelphia,Police,Car,-,Philadelphia,/,Pennsylvania,-,April,6,
Posted at 6:06 AM, Feb 24, 2023
and last updated 2023-02-24 09:06:30-05

A toddler was among seven people shot near a Philadelphia school on Thursday, and the three suspects involved were not in custody as of Friday morning, police said.

A 2-year-old girl, her 31-year-old mother and five teens were wounded near the James G. Blaine School. The toddler was shot once in the left thigh, police said. Police said three gunmen exited a car and shot the group.

"There were some people inside of a vehicle, some people on the sidewalk, when the shooters approached," Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlawtold WCAU-TV. "We don't believe that all of the victims at this point were intended targets."

In a Thursday evening news release, police considered all seven victims in “stable condition” at area hospitals. One of the teen victims had a graze wound.

It’s unclear how old the suspects are, but Outlaw noted the age of the victims involved. The wounded teens were ages 13, 15, 16, 16 and 17.

"Our shooters are getting younger and younger. Our victims are getting younger and younger. And they have guns," Outlaw told WCAU. "If you know that this young person has a gun -- of course it's illegal -- in your home, you can report that. You can do that anonymously. You can call 911, whatever it is. But we have to get the guns out of the hands of these young people. Be nosy. Know what your young people are doing."

Police said all three suspects are Black males. They were driving a gray 2011-16 Hyundai Elantra with unknown Pennsylvania plates, police said.