MEAWW.COM / NEWS / CRIME & JUSTICE

Teen football player killed, 4 others injured after two gunmen open fire outside Philadelphia school

The incident took place around 4:30 pm on the 300 block of Fairway Terrace after a football scrimmage outside Roxborough High School in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: A football player was killed and four others were injured after two men ambushed them and opened fire outside Roxborough High School in Philadelphia on Tuesday, September 27, 2022. The incident took place around 4:30 pm on the 300 block of Fairway Terrace after the football scrimmage ended between Roxborough High School, Northeast High School, and Boys Latin Charter School. 

According to investigators, two gunmen attacked a group of five players from a Ford Explorer as they were walking off the field, ABC7 reported. A 14-year-old boy who was shot succumbed to his injuries, police confirmed. Two others, a 14-year-old male and a 17-year-old male, were also shot. They were taken to an area hospital in stable condition. A fifth player suffered a graze wound in the attack. All the injured victims attended Roxborough High School. No arrests have been made in the case yet and anyone with information has been urged to call police at 215-686-TIPS.

READ MORE

EXCLUSIVE | 'Whoever did this is still out there': Murdered Allison Rice's friend says gun violence has got out of hand

The mindless killing of Allison Rice: Attack that saw LSU student shot over 10 times may have been 'random'

In a series of tweets, Mayor Jim Kenney released a statement on the shooting. "There are no words for what transpired earlier tonight. Another young life has been cut short and others injured by needless violence. Tonight, a family will begin to grapple with the loss of their loved one. My deepest condolences go out to them," Kenney wrote in one tweet. In another, he said, "I’ll say it again: schools, rec centers, and public spaces must be safe places. That’s why I signed an Executive Order today to ban guns at our @PhilaParkandRec sites. This violence must stop and the cowards who use these weapons must be held accountable."

"Our administration will work with @PHLschools to ensure the Roxborough High School community gets the support they need to help students manage the trauma of losing a classmate. I urge anyone with information about this heinous crime to report it anonymously to 215-686-TIPS," Kenney further wrote. He added, "If you know someone at-risk of engaging in or being affected by gun violence, call the City's 24-hour Violence Prevention Hotline by dialing 2-1-1. If you’re in crisis and need to talk with someone, please call 9-8-8."

Notably, Philadelphia's District Attorney is Larry Krasner, the controversial DA who was re-elected in 2021 but has faced dubious impeachment attempts in 2022. After an overnight mass shooting left three people dead and 11 injured in the city in June, Kenney slammed the "horrendous, brazen and despicable act of gun violence" rising in the nation. Kenney called officials to "address the availability and ease of access to firearms" in the US and called for stricter gun laws.

"Until we address the availability and ease of access to firearms, we will always be fighting an uphill battle. As Mayor, I will continue to fight to protect our communities and urge others to advocate for stronger laws that keep guns out of the hands of violent individuals," the mayor said at the time, according to the Daily Mail.

"The surge in gun violence that we've seen across the nation—and here in Philadelphia—makes me not just heartbroken, but angry. Our administration, in partnership with all of our local and federal law enforcement agencies, continues to work relentlessly to reduce violence and create safer communities," he added.

Philadelphia has seen a significant rise in crimes in recent years. The overall crime is up more than 26 percent so far in 2022 as compared to the same time last year. Assaults and rapes have dropped notably in 2022 but the number of homicides has decreased only 1.8 percent, from 378 incidents in 2021 to 385 so far in 2022.

The number of shootings has gone up by 3.4 percent. Police have reported 1,706 cases till now in 2022, up from 1,650 in 2021. Robberies have increased the most, with 4,199 cases reported in 2022, up 40.5 by percent from the 3,042 reported in 2021.