Getty The Philadelphia skyline.
A Philadelphia mass shooting suspect accused of shooting six people on July 3, 2023, was wearing a ballistic vest, the city’s police chief confirmed in a news conference.
The suspect in the mass shooting was identified by the Philadelphia Inquirer as Kimbrady Carriker, 40.
In a news conference, Philadelphia Police Chief Danielle Outlaw said that four of the victims had died, all adults. All of the victims were shot, and authorities are still trying to figure out a motive. Two juveniles are among the wounded, she said, adding that the shootings appear to be random.
Here’s what you need to know:
The Suspect Was Wearing a Bullet Proof Vest With Multiple Magazines, the Police Chief Said
At 8:29 p.m., officers were flagged down and received multiple calls about gunfire, Outlaw said. They found gunshot victims. As they were preparing them for transport, they heard multiple gunshots “up the street,” Outlaw said in a news conference.
Officers located the suspect and pursued Carriker in a foot chase, while Carriker was shooting, Outlaw said. He was arrested in the rear alley, where it was discovered that . He was wearing a bullet proof vest with multiple magazines in the vest, Outlaw said. He also had a scanner and an AR-style rifle and a handgun underneath his body, she said.
He was taken into custody, she said. “Once he was cornered in the alley, the officers gave him commands to show his hands,” according to Outlaw.
“We mourn the loss of 5 innocent lives and stand w/ those impacted during this tragic time. Our deepest condolences go out to them. I want to commend our brave @PPD12Dist officers who responded swiftly to this horrific shooting. Their courage, dedication, & restraint saved lives,” Outlaw tweeted.
A Weapon Was Recovered, Reports Say
🚨#BREAKING: Multiple Injuries and Fatalities as Gunman Opens Fires randomly
📌#Philadelphia | #PA
There is currently a strong police presence in the Kingsessing neighborhood of Philadelphia, PA. This is because of a serious incident involving a mass shooting, where eight…
CNN reported that a weapon was recovered per a police spokesman.
The suspect’s motive was not released.
The Philadelphia mass shooting comes the day after a mass shooting at a Baltimore, Maryland, block party left two dead and 28 injured, according to CNN.
In 2022, there were 647 mass shootings in the United States, according to the Gun Violence Archive. In 2021, there were 690 mass shootings, the Archive reported, and in 2020 there were 610. According to the Gun Violence Archive, before the pandemic there were fewer mass shootings in the United States. For example, the Archive reports that there were 383 shootings in 2016, 348 mass shootings in 2017, and 336 in 2018.
According to the Philadelphia Police Department’s crime statistics dashboard, there were 212 homicide victims so far in 2023, as of July 2, 2023, a 19 percent decrease. There were 262 homicide victims in the City of Philadelphia as of the same date in 2022, according to the police crime statistics.
The peak year, according to the statistics was in 2021, when there were 278 homicide victims by the same date. That was the largest number of homicide victims in the city by this date since at least 2007, according to the crime statistics.
Overall, there were 516 homicide victims in the City of Philadelphia in 2022, police say on the website. In 2021, there were 562 total homicide victims for the entire year, which was a dramatic increase and marked the highest total since at least 2007, according to the police crime statistics page. In 2013, homicide dropped to 246 victims, according to the Philadelphia Police Department.
The numbers do not yet include the homicide victims from the July 3, 2023, mass shooting in Philadelphia, however.
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