Nov. 22 (UPI) — Two men are dead and at least five others are reportedly in critical condition after what is believed to be a drug-related gunfight in North Philadelphia on Tuesday night, police said.
Officers reported finding five guns dropped at the scene of the shooting in the 3200 block of Fairhill Street near Allegheny Avenue just after 8:30 p.m.
Police report finding four handguns and a rifle dropped on the ground around the shooting scene, in addition to more than 70 spent shell casings.
“We believe that some of the victims were shooters,” Philadelphia Police Department Chief Inspector Scott Small said.
“This is a block that has had some narcotic activity,” Interim Philadelphia Police Commissioner John Stanford said. “This isn’t a block that we aren’t familiar with. With that being said, I would say it’s probably something connected to a narcotics trade but I’m not going to say that with 100% certainty.”
Responding officers transported four of the shooting victims to Temple University Hospital where two were pronounced dead.
The other victims were transported by private vehicles to Temple Hospital, Temple’s Episcopal Campus, and to Jefferson Einstein Hospital and all reportedly walked into the Emergency Departments under their own power.
The ages of the victims ranged from 19 to 33, police said.
Police detectives tried to determine what happened while the surviving shotting victims received medical care at the hospitals. Two homes were struck by stray bullets but no other injuries were reported, police said. The shooting is under investigation.