Philadelphia police continue to piece together a Wednesday afternoon shooting in which eight high school students were shot, with one sustaining nine gunshot wounds and being listed in critical condition.
The shooting happened at about 3 p.m. on Wednesday at a SEPTA bus station near the intersection of Cottman and Rising Sun avenues, in the northeast portion of the city.
Several students from Northeast High School were getting ready to board a bus when three gunmen got out of a blue Hyundai Sonata, ran toward the students and opened fire with about 30 rounds before fleeing the scene.
Eight students, including one girl and seven boys between the ages of 15-17, were struck multiple times by gunfire.
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Eight high school students were struck by gunfire while boarding a SEPTA bus in Philadelphia on Wednesday. (FOX 29 Philadelphia)
FOX 29 in Philadelphia reported that seven of the victims were listed in stable condition, while a 16-year-old boy who was shot nine times in the torso was critically wounded, according to police.
“He’s still in critical, we checked on him [Thursday]. I am told that the doctors are optimistic, we have to get through today, but they’re looking to upgrade him at some point,” Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore told reporters Thursday.
Now, more than 24 hours after the shooting, police are putting the pieces together.
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Eight high school students were struck by gunfire while boarding a SEPTA bus in Philadelphia on Wednesday. (FOX 29 Philadelphia)
“Things are starting to come together,” Vanore said. “We are moving toward knowing more about what happened yesterday and who we may be looking for.”
The Philadelphia Police Department released footage that shows the suspects pulling into a handicap parking space in a lot at about 2:53 p.m. before three individuals get out via the front passenger door and two rear doors. The driver remains in the vehicle as the other three run toward the bus stop.
The next shot from the video shows the three men running toward a bus as people are getting on, and within seconds, they are seen running back to the Hyundai Sonata and getting back inside before the car drives off.
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Eight high school students were struck by gunfire while boarding a SEPTA bus in Philadelphia on Wednesday. (FOX 29 Philadelphia)
Vanore told reporters police recovered the Hyundai they believe was used by the gunmen and the getaway driver. The car was abandoned in a dark alley on West Fern Street in Olney, the station reported.
An investigation found the car was stolen this month from the city’s 7th District, and when police responded to make a report on the vehicle, they found a stolen Kia Sportage parked in its place.
Police said they are processing both vehicles for evidence.
Police are investigating whether Wednesday’s shooting was in retaliation or connected to a deadly shooting on Tuesday in the city’s Ogontz neighborhood.
In that shooting, Imhotep Charter School 17-year-old Dayemen Taylor was killed while a 15-year-old, a 14-year-old and two women riding a SEPTA bus were wounded, FOX 29 reported.
“These are individuals shooting at a crowd of kids,” Vanore said. “Total between the two incidents, 11 kids were shot at. That’s really concerning, so we need people to see that, be as angry as everyone else is and let us know who did this, so we can end this rather quickly.”
