A 15-year-old boy was left fighting for his life following a shooting incident near Temple University in North Philadelphia. The event occurred around 3:53 p.m. on Monday afternoon, just within the vicinity of the 1400 block of Cecil B. Moore Avenue, as reported by NBC Philadelphia. The victim was struck once in the hip and was swiftly transported to Temple University Hospital, where he was placed in a critical condition, officials said.
According to an interview conducted by Action News, Harshil Patel, a sophomore at Temple University, was playing basketball nearby when the sound of what he at first mistook for construction noise turned out to be gunshots. Following the incident, the university sent out an alert advising individuals to stay clear of the area, confirming that no students or faculty were involved.
The manhunt for the suspect continues. Descriptions of the individual suggest the shooter was likely around the same age as the victim. The shooter reportedly fled the scene onto the nearby subway following the shooting. This detail was echoed by authorities and reported by local news outlet PHL17. Police have not disclosed what may have incited the violence.
Thirty-year veteran of Cecil B. Moore Avenue and local salon owner, Henry Collins, shared his perspective with Action News, claiming that an increase in visual police presence is needed to deter such occurrences. "On this block or any block around here, they need to have visual police with guns," Collins said. "They got to be posted, standing on the block around the clock, 24/7. Until you do that it's gonna keep going on and on." As it stands, no weapons have been recovered, and no arrests have been made in relation with the shooting.
Philadelphia police are actively seeking tips and have encouraged the public to contribute any information by contacting them at 215-686-TIPS (8477) or reaching out to the Temple police at 215-204-1234.
