PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A 13-year-old boy was fatally shot several times in the head Monday night.
Police said the boy was found unresponsive on the sidewalk at about 7 p.m. near the corner of North Smedley Street and West 65th Avenue in West Oak Lane. He was bleeding from his face.
Police took him to the hospital, where he died. He was later identified as Jeremiah Wilcox.
"It's really a tragedy when you see anyone get shot, but especially someone this young,” Chief Inspector Scott Small told NBC10.
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Investigators did not initially have a suspect or motive in the case, but they believe he may have been visiting friends in the area.
Two people were seen running away from the scene, but police are not sure if they had a role or not.
The Philadelphia teachers union issued a statement saying Jeremiah was an eighth-grader at Wagner Middle School.
The School District of Philadelphia added in a separate statement:
“We are heartbroken and outraged to learn about the passing of a Wagner student, whose life was tragically lost last night to gun violence. … Counselors and a support team will be at the school for the remainder of the week for students to have someone to speak with.
“The School District of Philadelphia continues to be outraged by the increasing gun violence in our city and its very real impact on our students and communities.”
Meanwhile, around 5 p.m., police said a 42-year-old man was shot in front of a toddler while sitting in a car in Olney.
Police said an 18-year-old also showed up at a hospital, claiming he was shot at the same location.
The man is expected to be OK. The 3-year-old who was with the man wasn't hurt but was taken to the hospital to get checked out, according to Small.
There was no initial word on the 18-year-old's condition.