PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A man has been arrested and charged in connection with a shooting that injured two women during the Eagles victory parade Friday afternoon.
Police officials say an argument broke out around 2:30 p.m. after the boyfriend of one of the women attempted to cut through the crowd to the port-a-potties on the 2300 block of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Officials say a fight then broke out between the boyfriend and a group of men. The boyfriend was punched and 28-year-old Brandon Ramos fired a gun. The women, ages 27 and 20, were struck in their legs. They were transported to a nearby hospital and are in stable condition.
Police say Ramos was arrested and charged Saturday with aggravated and simple assault as well as weapons offenses.
Officials are searching for video of the incident and speaking with potential witnesses.
Police say this was an isolated event.
Last year, shots rang out during the Super Bowl parade for the Kansas City Chiefs. One person died and nearly two dozen others were injured.
“For the second straight year, a Super Bowl parade has ended in gunfire,” said Kris Brown, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. “The Super Bowl is as American as apple pie — and tragically, so is gun violence. The question echoes: why? The answer remains stark and simple: the guns.”
“The weight of this tragedy bears down not just on Philadelphia, but on every American community that lives with the constant shadow of gun violence. Our children practice active shooter drills. Our cities plan celebrations with mass shooting protocols. This is not freedom — it's fear. And it's preventable."