April 16, 2024
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
Police said that they have not discovered a motive or any suspects relating to the late-night shooting, but they hope that surveillance footage will provide evidence in the investigation.
A 16-year-old boy was shot while babysitting two young girls, authorities say.
Police arrived at an apartment building on the 200 block of East Cliveden Street shortly before midnight. They found the boy on the first floor, having been shot once in the abdomen and once in the arm.
According to police, the 16-year-old was looking after two family members when he heard a knock on the door, CBS Philadelphia reports. When he answered the door, at least one male suspect walked in and fired six shots. The two young girls, aged 5 and 7, were sleeping on the couch during the incident.
"We’re very, very lucky that those two children ... were not struck by gunfire," said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small, who also said that were multiple bullet holes on the wall near where the girls were sleeping.
The 16-year-old was rushed to Jefferson Einstein Hospital and is now in stable condition, according to authorities. Police said another teenager was in the apartment at the time and was not injured.
No arrests have been made and police have not found a motive or description of the suspect as of Tuesday morning, but they hope that surveillance footage inside and outside of the apartment building will shed some light on the situation.
