6 injured after shooting near Subaru Park
CHESTER, Pa. (CBS) -- Six people were injured in a shooting near Subaru Park in Chester said Detective Captain El'lan Morgan. City of Chester Police Commissioner Steven Gretsky says the shooting happened outside the stadium at West Front and Norris Streets, around 11:30 p.m. Sunday.
Police say a 17-year-old boy was shot in the torso and shoulder. He remains hospitalized and in critical condition. The other gunshot victims are between 17 and 18 years old. They have been treated and expected to be OK.
It's still unclear what led to the shooting.
Although the shooting happened outside the stadium, police say it was within line of sight of the stadium, right near Lot A.
Witness information suggests a group of about 100 teens were celebrating the end of the school year and high school graduation when they were ambushed.
Gretzky says that it was first unclear if this was an actual shooting given the amount of calls for fireworks. When they got there, they first found a 17-year-old girl with a gunshot wound to the hand.
Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer released a statement Tuesday afternoon:
"On Sunday evening a group of teens gathered in the City of Chester to celebrate the holiday weekend and the end of the school year. Unfortunately, the presence of guns in the crowd turned this gathering into a chaotic and dangerous event. At this point, one juvenile is in critical condition, and five more have non-life threatening injuries. We know at least three guns were fired and over 50 shell casings have been recovered. This incident is particularly disturbing because of the great progress the City of Chester has made in recent years in reducing gun violence through a law enforcement-community partnership initiated by Mayor Kirkland and me in October 2020. Since the Chester Partnership for Safe Neighborhoods was launched, gun homicides have been reduced by 60% with the overall number of shootings falling by 46% over the last two years.
City and County officials are committed to continuing our collaboration which has made Chester safer. We are asking today for the community's support and help by sharing any information about this latest incident with the Chester Police (610-447-7931) or with Detectives in the County's Criminal Investigation Division by calling 610-891-4700."
Jasmine Morales says she was there moments before the gunshots.
"Somebody came from that way shooting," Morales said.
She tells CBS News Philadelphia there were no signs of trouble preceding the shooting, just young people having a good time.
"These were all kids," Morales said. "There were nobody here who were adults who had problems — there's no way they should have come here shooting at these kids."
The shooting happened a few hours after the Philadelphia Union's affiliate team, Union II, played a 7 p.m. game against Crew II. Police say there is no link between activity at the park and the shooting.
The Philadelphia Union issued the following statement:
"We are saddened by the gun violence that took place in Chester at the intersection of Norris and Delaware Street late last night. The events happened several hours after a second team match had ended and occurred in an outer parking lot area on the opposite side of the bridge that had not been open for the game. Anyone with information or questions regarding the investigation should be directed to Chester City Police Department."
No arrests have been made.
Police are urging people who may know anything in relation to this shooting to contact the police department.
We reached out to Chester Upland School District for a comment if any of their students were injured. We have yet to hear back.
