On Monday, an 11-year-old boy was shot and killed in West Philly.
Inqurier.com reports that the incident took place right before noon in the 5700 block of Haddington Lane in Overbrook. It was reported that the boy had been shot in the chest.
The 11-year-old’s older brother, who is 19, was taken into custody, and it was reported he was taken to homicide for questioning. Initially, it was reported that the brother fled the scene.
Acting Police Commissioner Christine Coulter told outlets that, “The brother’s responsible,”
Coulter added, “Whether it was intentional or accidental, I don’t know. But they were the only two people in the house.”
The 11-year-old boy has not been identified to media. It was reported that the boy was taken to Lankenau Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 12:25 p.m. The victim’s mother later returned to her home, and officials took her to the hospital.
There was a weapon recovered. It was reported that officers are waiting for a warrant to enter the home and search for other evidence and retrieve it.
This child is not the first and probably not the last to die of a gunfire-related death. In fact, there have been at least five children killed as a result of gunfire within the past month. Two other children were critically injured as a result of gunfire in Philly.
The most recent gunfire-related child’s death was Leslie Woodson, who was killed and shot by his older half-brother in West Philly. Nikolette Rivera, who was shot while in her mother’s arms by men targeting her father. Sisters Damaya Alcindor and Maxilla Alcindor were allegedly killed by their mother in Northeast Philly.
Metro reported a 10-year-old boy was critically injured while walking home from school. Additionally, an 11-month-old is suffering from gun injuries caused by bullets hitting the car the child was in.
Coulter told outlets on the scene of Monday’s shooting that, “In every instance, it was a gun in the hands of people who shouldn’t have guns.”
