Man Shot On Basketball Court In Southwest Philadelphia
by Tim Jimenez
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - One man was shot and is in critical condition after a gunman opened fire during a pickup game of basketball Thursday afternoon in Southwest Philadelphia.
It was around 4 p.m. at Finnegan's Playground at 6900 Grovers Avenue. A five-on-five game of basketball was taking place but was suddenly interrupted.
"Solo shooter walks up from the 68th and Lindbergh area, into the park, by the playset, and fires five shots at the 10 males who are playing basketball," said Lieutenant John Walker of Southwest Detectives.
One of the players, a 24-year-old man, was shot in the buttocks and police say the bullet went up into his stomach. The other players put the victim in a car and rushed him to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where he's listed in critical condition. There were other activities going on at the park as well and Walker says it is fortunate no one else was injured.
"Hopefully we can get this person off the street. Because it's a person like this who's out here, midday, shooting in a playground where kids are obviously playing because the weather conditions were in the 70s. We want kids to be playing. They shouldn't be fearful of going out in parks where you have idiots like this firing guns," Walker said.
No word on a motive as police look for a shooter. He is described as black, between 19-and-25-years-old, wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt at the time, fleeing towards Lindbergh Boulevard and armed and dangerous. Anyone with information is asked to call 215-686-TIPS.
