By Tiffany Williams –
PHILADELPHIA — What began as a gathering of teenagers inside the basement of a North Philadelphia home ended in gunfire, a wounded 16-year-old, and an active police investigation into exactly how a teenager handling a firearm allegedly shot another teenager.
Investigators say the victim is fortunate to be alive.
According to Philadelphia Police Inspector D.F. Pace, the 16-year-old was shot in the leg and upper shoulder Saturday night and is in stable condition. Authorities say one of the gunshot wounds came dangerously close to becoming far more catastrophic.
The shooting occurred at around 10:15 p.m. in the basement of a home at the 200 block of East Rockland Street in Philadelphia’s Feltonville neighborhood, Pace said.
Police say several teenagers were inside the basement when the shooting occurred.
The teen was with a group of at least three other teenagers between 15 and 17 in a basement when a 15-year-old handling a gun shot the 16-year-old, Pace said.
Within seconds, what had been a gathering of teenagers became a shooting investigation.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene after reports of gunfire and found the wounded teenager suffering from gunshot wounds to the leg and upper shoulder.
According to investigators, the victim survived injuries that could have been significantly worse.
According to Pace, the gunshot to the teen’s shoulder was just above his heart, and could have caused much more serious injuries.
The teenager was transported for medical treatment and is reported to be in stable condition.
Police say the alleged shooter did not remain at the scene.
The 15-year-old, who may be a friend of the victim, fled the scene, but has been identified by witnesses and the victim, Pace said.
Investigators now know who they are looking for, but the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation.
Whether or not the shooting was an accident remains under investigation.
That unanswered question will be central to the investigation moving forward.
Detectives are expected to carefully examine witness statements, forensic evidence, and the physical layout of the basement to determine exactly how the firearm discharged and what occurred during the moments leading up to the shooting.
Crime scene investigators also recovered evidence inside the home.
At least one spent shell casing was found at the scene, but a gun has not yet been recovered, Pace said.
The absence of the firearm means investigators will continue searching for additional evidence as they work to reconstruct what happened inside the basement.
Police have not publicly announced whether the firearm was legally possessed, how it came into the possession of the teenagers, or whether any adult was present inside the residence when the shooting occurred.
Authorities also have not released the identities of either the victim or the 15-year-old who investigators say was handling the gun because both are juveniles.
As detectives continue their investigation, they will seek to determine how the firearm entered the gathering, who possessed it before the shooting, and whether any criminal offenses beyond the shooting itself may have occurred.
Investigators are also expected to review statements from everyone who was present in the basement to establish a detailed timeline of the events that unfolded shortly before the gunfire.
The case remains an active investigation, and police have not announced whether any charges have been filed.
For now, investigators continue working to determine whether the shooting was accidental or criminal while searching for the firearm that authorities say has not yet been recovered.
The 16-year-old remains in stable condition as Philadelphia police continue their investigation into the Saturday night shooting in the city’s Feltonville neighborhood.