The block party shooting that left three people dead and six others injured in Carroll Park early Sunday morning stemmed from an argument that escalated into a physical altercation, police said.
"This was a gun battle, that much we can tell you," Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said at a press briefing Monday. "This was not an individual who just came up and randomly started to shoot down the block and shoot nine people."
MORE: 3 dead, 6 injured in mass shooting at party in West Philadelphia, police say
More than 100 people were gathered on the 1200 block of North Alden Street when the gunfight broke out around 2 a.m. Sunday, police said. Multiple rounds were fired by multiple shooters, Bethel said. A 33-year-old man died at the scene; two other men, ages 23 and 29, were pronounced dead at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. Two of the men were brothers, but Bethel did not specify which ones.
Six other people – five men and one woman ranging in age from 26 to 30 – were taken to area hospitals with injuries. Four of them since have been released, Bethel said.
Bethel declined to detail any connections between the people who were shot. He also declined to share information about any suspects, including whether they were among those shot.
Three weapons were recovered by police – a .357 Magnum revolver, a 9mm handgun and a "third caliber weapon," Bethel said. Two of them were found at the scene; the other was recovered at a hospital. Investigators recovered 36 casings and five bullets at the scene.
Bethel said most homicides begin with an argument that turns deadly due to the presence of guns.
"I know some of my old-school guys here today, we used to fight it, now we pull out weapons," Bethel said. "So we are going to have to turn back the times of when we can have a good time on our blocks."
The block party on Alden Street had not been registered with the city. Mayor Cherelle Parker encouraged residents to apply for permits when holding block parties and other large gatherings. If the Alden Street residents filled out an application, Parker said, police would have been aware of the party.
Parker also stressed that the city's gun violence problem is not caused by in any part by block parties.
"We shouldn't be concerned about block parties and large gatherings, if we do that, we have allowed this small percentage of people to hold us hostage in our city," Parker said.
Anyone with information on the shooting can call or text Philadelphia police at (215) 686-TIPS. Chief Public Safety Director Adam Geer encouraged people to call the 211 hotline, which connects people to conflict intervention services, neighborhood crisis mediation services, peer counseling and violence prevention community services.
Bethel also said that people who want to turn over any weapons in their homes can call 911. Officers will collect them without making arrests.