Philadelphia Eid event shooting injures 3, including teen shot by officer; 5 arrested
PHILADELPHIA - Multiple people were injured as dozens of shots were fired during an Eid al-Fitr event in West Philadelphia Wednesday afternoon where around 1,000 attendees gathered to celebrate the end of Ramadan.
According to police, at around 2:26 p.m. three people were shot during an end of Ramadan event near the 4700 block of Wyalusing Avenue. One of the wounded was shot by a police officer.
Approximately 30 gunshots were fired during the shooting, officials say.
An officer assigned to the area engaged a 15-year-old who Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel says was armed with a gun. Sources say the 15-year-old was armed with an assault rifle. The officer shot the teen once in his left arm and once in his left leg when police say he did not drop the gun.
The officer then put the 15-year-old into her patrol vehicle and rushed him to the Children's Hospital Of Philadelphia (CHOP) where he was placed in stable condition.
A 22-year-old man sustained a gunshot wound to his stomach and was taken to Penn Presbyterian Hospital by police where he was placed in stable condition.
A 15-year-old was struck in his right ring finger and taken to CHOP by Philadelphia Fire Department (PFD) medics. He is also in stable condition.
While officers were responding to this active shooting scene, a 15-year-old girl was struck by a Philadelphia Police patrol wagon. She was transported to CHOP by PFD medics, where she was listed in stable condition with a fractured leg.
Police have taken five people into custody: a 21-year-old man, one 16-year-old boy, one 16-year-old girl and two 15-year-old boys including the one who was shot by police. Five weapons were also recovered at the scene.
Kahbir Oglesby-Hicks, 21 | Philadelphia Police Department
Officials later identified one of the suspects as 21-year-old Kahbir Oglesby-Hicks of Kingsessing. He has been charged with VUFA-No License, PIC, VUFA-On Streets, PIC, and Evading Arrest.
The discharging officer has been placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of the Internal Affairs and Officer-Involved Shooting Investigations.
Police say they do not believe the suspects were connected to the peaceful celebration as two groups were firing at each other in the park right before police arrived to the scene.
The Eid-al-Fitr event was located near the Philadelphia Masjid mosque which faces a park.
Evidence marker 30 was placed next to a bullet and a woman’s shoe on the playground at the park which is a part of the crime scene.
Najah Bey was at the celebration when the shooting broke out. She said one of her relatives was shot during the event. She described in detail the sound and the following chaos.
"It’s sad in Philadelphia. It’s sad you can’t even have a celebration without worrying about getting shot," said Bey.
Abdallah Legh, General Manager of Girard Meat Market said he heard what sounded like three or four shots fired. Anywhere from a dozen to 20 or 30 children came into his store seeking shelter, Legh told FOX 29.
Legh said his office is located a couple hundred feet from the scene of the shooting near the park area."Everybody was running," he said, describing what he saw and heard after the shots rang out.
SKYFOX was over the scene and captured a heavy police presence.
Mayor Cherelle Parker tweeted a message in support of the Muslim community.
The investigation is ongoing.
Check back with FOX 29 for updates.