Boy, 14, critically wounded in double shooting on subway

A 14-year-old boy was critically wounded during a double shooting on the subway Wednesday afternoon, police said.

Officials said the shooting happened around 1:50 p.m. on the Broad Street Subway near the Susquehanna-Dauphin station. The 14-year-old was wounded in the leg and a 17-year-old was struck in the arm. Both were rushed to Temple University Hospital, where the younger victim was listed in critical condition, although the injury was believed to be non-life threatening, while the 17-year-old was listed in stable condition, according to SEPTA spokesman Andrew Busch.

Initial information was sketchy, but Deputy Police Commissioner Richard Ross said the incident started with a large fight between rival factions of students that was broken up by police. Some of the students fled into the subway where the conflict then spilled over onto the train, he said. Ross did not know where the first incident took place.

Police took a man into custody who was allegedly seen running from the scene, but the individual was not believed to be the shooter. Officers were reviewing surveillance video from the station and the train.

The shooting happened just before SEPTA transit police traditionally ramp up patrols for the after-school hours.

“That’s generally between 2 o’clock and 5 o’clock at key stations,” Busch said.

Southbound subway service bypassed Allegheny, North Philadelphia, Susquehanna-Dauphin and Cecil B. Moore stations for about an hour, but resumed normal service by 3:45 p.m.

No other injuries were reported.