2 officers shot in Philadelphia, police have no leads
Officers were wounded in Philadelphia during 4th of July celebrations in Philadelphia, not sure if they were targeted by a shooter or if that is a result of "celebratory gunfire."
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The cops were injured by the bullets while they patrolled.
Two police officers were wounded and thousands of people ran in a panic after a gunman targeted them at the 4th of July concert and fireworks celebration in Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia.
Just after midnight on Tuesday, Philadelphia Police Department Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said that two officers had been injured; a 44-year-old Montgomery County Sheriffs' deputy had a gunshot wound to the right shoulder, and the other, a 36-year-old PPD highway patrol officer, was wounded by a grazing cut to the head. Outlaw added that after receiving treatment at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, both were discharged.
She said that “It is miraculous the fact that the round stopped in his hat."
The shooter wasn't promptly apprehended or recognized. According to Outlaw, it was unclear if the police were intentionally shot at or if they were hit by "celebratory gunfire" during the Fourth of July celebrations.
On the bright side, said the commissioner, "what really could have been a chaotic scene or a catastrophic scene wasn’t today."
Following a Jason Derulo-headlined performance on the parkway, a shooting erupted at the Philadelphia Museum of Art at roughly 9h47 pm, according to police, as large crowds watched a fireworks display during the 16-day Wawa Welcome America festival.
Read more: 4th of July Highland Park shooter taken into custody
According to Outlaw, the cops were injured by the bullets while they patrolled the 2500 block of Spring Garden Street, which is behind the venue. Several individuals were observed escaping the area. People in nearby buildings were told to take cover by police. “I didn’t hear the shots, but the cops were like, ‘Run, run, run,’” one woman told NBC10.
NBC10 had various reporters in the area covering the festival, one of which, Leah Uko, reported a "stampede" running in the direction of the stage. Another reporter, Karen Hua, Tweeted saying that "We made a fort around us with catering equipment. Everyone is crying or screaming," adding that “It has just been a night of absolute horror and terror."
This is our reality.
— Karen Hua (@K_Hua) July 5, 2022
Laying in the dirt in a tent.
We made a fort around us with catering equipment.
Everyone is crying or screaming. #July4Philly pic.twitter.com/c5fLF0U4dv
Jim Kenney, the mayor, decried how simple it was for individuals to obtain firearms. He placed the blame on the US Congress, which had only recently been able to pass some moderate gun control laws in response to a wave of mass shootings across the nation, as well as the Republican-controlled state legislature, which prevents Philadelphia from enacting stricter gun control regulations.
Furthermore, the mayor criticized US gun culture and said that “We are the most armed country in world history and we’re one of the least safe. So, until Americans decide that they want to give up the guns and give up the opportunity to get guns, we’re going to have this problem."
Until now, the police search has found nothing related to the shooting or the possible shooter.
