(MENAFN) On Wednesday afternoon, in Northeast Philadelphia, eight teenagers between the ages of 15 and 17 were shot more than 30 times while boarding a bus, according to police reports.
The incident occurred near a Dunkin' shop around 3 PM One of the victims is in critical condition. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel stated that the perpetrators, who shot at the teenagers from a parked car, are still at large.
"It's hard to sit here and see that in three days we have had 11 juveniles shot while going and coming from school," Bethel stated during a press conference.
Bethel mentioned a previous shooting at a Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) bus stop on Monday, during which a 17-year-old boy was killed and four others were injured. Over the past week, there have been four shootings involving SEPTA buses, with three resulting in fatalities.
A spokesperson for SEPTA confirmed that two buses were hit by gunfire during Wednesday's incident but reassured that no passengers or employees were harmed.
According to police reports, the 16-year-old boy in critical condition sustained nine gunshot wounds to the torso. The other victims, comprising six boys and a girl, were reported to be in stable condition.
Bethel announced plans to deploy additional resources across Philadelphia to address the recent spate of shootings and to investigate whether the incidents on Wednesday and Monday are connected.
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