Philadelphia is reeling after a savage shoot-out took place in the Grays Ferry neighborhood, leaving three young men dead and 10 others injured on Monday morning (July 8).
A horrifying Ring camera video, now part of an active police investigation, captured multiple people pulling out guns and firing indiscriminately — even with children present.
The shooting took place around 1 A.M. on the 1500 block of South Etting Street, where police were already in the area responding to loud music and large crowds. They arrived moments after the gunfire erupted, finding victims scattered across the block — their ages ranging from 15 to 24.
Those killed have been identified as Zahir Wylie, 23, Jason Reese, 19, and Azir Harris, 24. Among the wounded are a 15-year-old girl, two 17-year-old boys, and a 19-year-old man currently in critical condition.
Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel didn’t mince words when responding to the incident. Calling the shooters “cowards,” he emphasized the recklessness of firing into homes and cars on a block filled with young people. “We will bring those individuals to justice,” he vowed. He added that it is “hard to understand” why people engage in this kind of behavior.
Azir Harris’ father, Troy, spoke to reporters with visible heartbreak. Azir, paralyzed at 17 from a previous shooting, had fought hard to live a full life in a wheelchair. “He wanted more than just the chair. He wanted more to life,” Troy said through tears. “They took a piece of me.”
Tyrique Glasgow, Executive Director of the Young Chances Foundation, echoed the community’s grief, saying, “These are kids trying to work and go to school. We had to cancel our summer camp today because of blood in the streets.” The tragedy follows an especially violent weekend in Philly, with 46 people reportedly shot over Fourth of July weekend.
Leave a comment