Philadelphia mass shooting leaves 8 people hurt

Mass shooting injures 8 people

A South Philly bar became a scene of chaos after a mass shooting injured eight people.

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia police are investigating a shooting in South Philadelphia that left as many as eight people hurt, including two who are listed in critical condition. The shooting happened early Saturday morning, hours after Fourth of July celebrations wrapped up across the city. 

What we know:

Police say they received a report of a shooting just before 4 a.m. Saturday morning on the 1100 block of South 11th Street at the 7 Elements bar and lounge.

Officers arrived on scene to find three people suffering from gunshot wounds. Those three were rushed to local hospitals. Two of those victims were listed in critical condition, including a security guard who was shot in the face and a woman who was shot in the back. Officials later upgraded their conditions as stable.

A short time later, police say five more people checked themselves into area hospitals. Police had originally reported a total of 11 people were hurt in the shooting, but have since updated that number to eight.

Philadelphia Police Inspector D.F. Pace says that when police arrived at the scene, the door of the bar was closed and they had to break it down. 

Mass shooting at Philadelphia bar leaves 8 hurt, 2 critically injured

Philadelphia police now say that a total of eight people were hurt in Saturday morning's shooting at a bar and lounge in South Philadelphia.

What they're saying:

"The crime scene consists of multiple spent shell casings both on the upper for where the restaurant bar is located, and there are also additional shell casings on a stairway that leads from the upper floor to the bottom floor, more shell casings on the parking lot below," Pace said Saturday morning. 

"We’re not sure if those shell casings came from a gun that was fired above, or whether gunman or gunmen continued firing even from the lower floors," Pace added.

Local perspective:

One neighbor of the establishment, Marianna Hunter, stated, "It’s supposed to be a time of celebration and happiness and parties and not murder and so it’s very upsetting."

Neighbors on 11th Street say they were shocked that so many people were shot right on their block after the July 4th celebration.

Thomas O’Hara said, "I thought it was fireworks because all night long we heard fireworks and pop, pop, pop."

When O’Hara found out the pops were actual gunshots and eight people were hurt, he reacted, "I couldn’t believe it because I’m right here. I live right there. How could that happen so close to me?"
He says fighting is nothing new for people who patronize the 7 Elements bar and restaurant at all hours of the day and night.

He continued, "It’s ridiculous. They were out here screaming. You can see a bottle of whiskey right there. They were right there screaming. Two, three women screaming right there."

Dig deeper:

While police combed through mounds of evidence inside such as IDS and money, the fire department even came out to help with their equipment. Police said they’re also scouring surveillance video, but so far have no motive. And on a holiday weekend police say this has been a difficult day.

Inspector Pace added, "They are well equipped well trained and they’re doing the absolute best they can and I’m very proud of these officers."

Neighbors say if the place ever does reopen, they hope there’s a real crackdown because they don’t want something like the shooting to ever happen again.

What we don't know:

Police say they are still piecing together the scene and speaking with victims, but the motive in the shooting remains unknown.