1 killed, 5 injured in shooting at Philadelphia graduation party

WPVI logo
Monday, June 17, 2019
1 killed, 5 injured in Philly graduation shooting
1 killed, 5 injured in Philly graduation shooting. Katherine Scott reports during Action News Mornings on June 17, 2019.

PHILADELPHIA -- A man was killed and five people, including teenagers, were injured during a shooting at a graduation party in Southwest Philadelphia on Sunday night.

The shooting happened around 10 p.m. at Finnegan Playground near the intersection of South 70th Street and Buist Avenue.

According to police, 60 people were attending the graduation party in the park when at least one person approached the crowd and opened fire. The motive of the shooting is under investigation.

"There was nothing that suggested that there was a fight that preceded this, at least according to the people here. Again, we don't know if the shooter or shooters left on foot or if they left in a car. We're trying to get as much information. Hopefully there will be some cameras," Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross said.

The victims included three boys, ages 15, 16, 17, a 16-year-old girl, a 21-year-old man, and a 24-year-old man.

Neighbor Wanda Johnson had heard the party and said people of all ages were in attendance. Then she heard the shots.

"I heard six gunshots. I was in my kitchen sitting down getting ready to eat something. I heard six gunshots, and I heard screaming. I came to the door, and people were running, and I said 'oh my God,'" Johnson recounted.

The teenagers were all shot in the legs or ankles and were listed in stable condition.

The 21-year-old man was shot in his elbow and was also stable.

The 24-year-old man was shot in his back. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Initially, police thought there were eight shooting victims, but that has since been updated to six. There were several unrelated shootings that happened around the same time, and some of the other gunshot victims at the hospital were linked to this shooting.

Police are continuing to search for the person responsible.