PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Police said Wednesday they believe a 17-year-old boy was targeted in a double shooting that hurt him and a 13-year-old girl in North Philadelphia Tuesday afternoon. It was just blocks away from where Temple Police Officer Chris Fitzgerald was gunned down.
The boy was shot in both of his legs, and is in critical but stable condition.
The shootings happened at about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday on Montgomery Avenue in North Philadelphia, just blocks away from the growing memorial dedicated to Fitzgerald who was shot and killed Saturday night in the line of duty.
Philadelphia Police Capt. James Kearney said their suspect was in a 2012 gray Nissan Maxima with a missing hubcap.
“A passenger wearing all black and a black mask exited the passenger side of this vehicle, approached the 17-year-old victim who was with two additional males, and began to fire,” said Kearney.
“Once the man was hit, he went down. The male then got closer to him and fired some more.”
As this was happening, police say a 13-year-old girl was walking home from school with a different group.
She told investigators when she heard the gunfire, she ran, but Kearney said she was hit by a bullet in her arm.
“That’s everybody’s nightmare. You’re walking home from school and it appears the guy was targeted,” said Kearney. “There she is walking home from school, and gets shot by gunfire. That’s every parent’s nightmare.”
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The driver and the shooter then drove off. Police are looking to identify both of them and help a community enduring the grief of Fitzgerald’s shooting death.
“That community has been through enough,” said Kearney. “We’d like to give them some justice and find these two, find these individuals, the driver and the shooter, and hold them accountable.”
Investigators say the car had temporary Pennsylvania tags 390-1869.
If you have tips about the case, police ask you to call or text 215-686-8477 or use this electronic form to anonymously share a tip.