Tragedy struck the Kensington neighborhood in Philadelphia when three innocent bystanders, including an eight-year-old girl, were hit by gunfire following a traffic incident between a car and a scooter. The violent encounter occurred Thursday afternoon on the 400 block of East Allegheny Avenue, according to FOX 29. A vehicle making a turn collided with a scooter, which led to the shooting.

All the victims were swiftly taken to local hospitals, with police reporting that they were stable. The young girl caught in the crossfire is a student at Lewis Elkin Elementary School, and among the adults injured was a veteran teacher from Conwell Middle School, who suffered multiple gunshot wounds to her face, NBC Philadelphia reported. The teacher's affiliation with the School District of Philadelphia was confirmed, highlighting the close-to-home impact of this tragic event.

The School District of Philadelphia, in a statement obtained by NBC Philadelphia, expressed their relief that the injuries were not more severe, and extended their prayers for the families, adding, "No one wants to receive the news that a student, teacher, or anyone has been shot in our city."

Following the initial car accident, the individual riding the scooter reportedly took out a gun and fired the shots that wounded the three bystanders before fleeing the scene. Both the scooter operator and the driver involved in the accident departed before law enforcement's arrival, according to 6ABC. The authorities are conducting an ongoing search for the suspect responsible for the shooting.