2-Year-Old Boy, 4 Teenagers Among 8 People Injured In 2 Separate Shootings In Philadelphia: Police
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Eight people were shot in two separate shootings in Philadelphia overnight Thursday. One happened at the Spring Garden Apartments at 7th and Wallace Streets, and another on Creighton Street in West Philadelphia.
Most of the victims are under the age of 18.
Mayor Jim Kenney says he is not only heartbroken but angry over the gun violence. Eight more victims were shot overnight, including four teens and a 2-year-old boy. So far this year, 115 shooting victims in the city have been children, according to the office of the controller.
"I cried when I heard about who got shot," Turon White Poole said.
Windows are splintered with bullet holes after more than 20 shots were fired outside the Philadelphia Housing Authority's Spring Garden Apartments at 7th and Wallace Streets.
Police say four teens were shot in this courtyard just before 2 in the morning, and a revolver was found on the ground.
"I live here and hang with them every day. I've been trying to tell them stay out of the way, stay out of trouble," Poole said.
Poole says he was sleeping at the time but his 15-year-old friends were both hit. One was shot in the face, the other boy was shot in the leg.
Police say a 16-year-old girl was also shot in the face and leg, and a bullet grazed a 14-year-old girl's head. All four victims are expected to be OK.
"This is not a game. Y'all killing each other for nothing," Poole said.
A few hours earlier, around 10:30 Monday night, another shooting happened in West Philly.
A 26-year-old man was shot in the leg near Creighton Street.
At least 10 shots were fired into an SUV that was found about a block away near Wyalusing Avenue.
Police say a 2-year-old boy in the back seat was bleeding from his left leg and had blood on his face, but it's unclear if the injury is a graze wound or due to broken glass. His 6-year-old brother was not hit.
"In this KIA, in addition to the three victims, there was a 6-year-old boy also in the backseat who was not struck by gunfire, he's very lucky since the vehicle was hit 10 times by gunfire," Chief Inspector Scott Small said.
But the children's 26-year-old mother was shot in the head while sitting in the passenger seat.
The 37-year-old driver was shot in the back.
According to their preliminary investigation, police say the KIA was stopped on Wyalusing Avenue and the women inside the vehicle were talking to the 26-year-old man when they heard gunshots. Once the 37-year-old driver reached 51st Street, police said she noticed the 26-year-old passenger was slumped over.
The 37-year-old woman also didn't realize she was shot in the back until she felt it get hot, according to police.
Authorities say the 26-year-old man ran toward Creighton Street to take cover once they heard gunshots.
"Survivors like myself are retraumatized every time we hear something like this because we're desperate. We really want change, we want something to happen," Aledia Garcia said.
Garcia's son was murdered in 2015. She started the National Homicide Justice Alliance, empowering victims' families.
She's horrified after learning a young mother and children are among the victims.
"We have to control the illegal guns that are coming into our city. They come in by the thousands," Garcia said.
Mayor Kenney was not available Thursday but said the violence is especially disheartening when so many children are impacted. He says, "this is another horrific example of the tragic impact of the prevalence of guns in our city; there are too many guns on our streets, with devastating consequences."
Police are investigating the motives behind both shootings. No arrests have been made.
CBS3's Ryan Hughes and Jan Carabeo contributed to this report.
For a list of gun violence resources in Philadelphia, click here.