Five people are believed to be dead and two children injured following a mass shooting in Philadelphia.
According to authorities a gunman wearing a bulletproof vest opened fire in Southwest Philadelphia on Monday night, reported NBC News.
Police initially said four people were killed, but early Tuesday announced the discovery of a fifth body in the same Kingsessing neighborhood who they believe was also a victim, added CNN,
Speaking at a news conference Monday, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle M. Outlaw said the injured children — described as boys aged 2 and 13 — were “in stable condition.”
Outlaw added that police responded to the incident at 8:29 p.m. local time and pursued the gunman on foot while he was still actively shooting and “apprehended him in an alley.”
“He was taken into custody without incident,” continued Outlaw, who said the suspect is believed to be a 40-year-old male who was carrying a semi-automatic rifle, a handgun, a police scanner and multiple magazines of ammunition.
The authorities said that another person has also been taken into custody but police currently don’t know the nature of their connection to the shooter. Outlaw said they “may have picked up someone’s gun and returned fire” and they did so “in the direction of the shooter.”
Three of the victims — who were all male — were aged 20, 22 and 59, while authorities are unsure of the age of the fourth, city police Chief Inspector Scott Small said, according to CNN. The fifth victim who was later found dead was aged 31, he added.
Police believe that all of those who were shot were either on the street or in vehicles and that they are currently searching for a motive as there is no clear connection between the gunman and the victims, reported NBC News.
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