New details revealed as West Philadelphia mass shooting investigation continues

Mayor Cherelle Parker said residents should not avoid large gatherings and be “held hostage” by safety fears, a day after three men were killed and six other people were wounded when a shootout disrupted a West Philadelphia party.

No arrests have been made in connection with the incident, which happened at around 2 a.m. Sunday on the 1200 block of N. Alden Street, near Girard Avenue, in the Carroll Park neighborhood. Authorities divulged few new details about the investigation Monday.

Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel described the shooting as a “gun battle” that broke out following an argument that had escalated into a physical altercation.

At least 36 shots were fired from multiple weapons, according to investigators. Bethel said officers recovered two guns at the scene and a third at a local hospital.

Bethel added that two of the deceased victims were brothers. However, the PPD has not publicly identified any of the men killed, releasing only their ages — 33, 29 and 23.

Five men and a woman between the ages of 26 and 30 were also injured in the shooting. Bethel said two remained hospitalized Monday. He declined to say whether any of the victims participated in the shooting or were bystanders.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call or text the PPD’s tip line at 215-686-TIPS (8477).

“At a time like this is usually when we hear people begin to say that we should no longer be able to gather at our houses and on our blocks for festivities like block parties,” Parker said during a news conference Monday at the site of the shooting. “I want Philadelphia to know it’s okay to organize a block party.”

But, she said, residents should go through the formal process of applying for a permit, so that the local police station is aware that crowds will be gathering. Parker told reporters that the North Alden Street gathering was not authorized and that no 911 calls came in about the party until shots were fired.

For more information about how to acquire a block party permit, call the Department of Streets at 215-686-5500 or go to phila.gov and search block parties.

Canceling get-togethers over concerns about gun violence allows “this small percentage of people to hold us hostage in our city,” Parker said. “And that is not something that I, as your mayor, am willing to concede.”

Through Sunday, about 600 people had been shot in Philadelphia this year, a 41% decline compared to the same day in 2023, according to police data. Homicides are also down 38%.

District Attorney Larry Krasner urged people to refrain from further violence in retaliation for Sunday’s mass shooting.

“We will catch the people who did this. We will get justice from those people,” he said. “Do not throw away your life on the notion that somehow you’ve got to settle it when we can settle it better than you.”

Minutes after Monday’s press conference ended, police cruisers raced down nearby Thompson Street. A 26-year-old man was shot in the leg at around noon on the 5600 block of Market Street, less than a mile away, authorities said.

His injuries will not be life-threatening, and officers apprehended a man at the scene, according to investigators. The PPD was unable to say Monday whether the incident was connected to the mass shooting, adding that the investigation has just begun into the Market Street case.

Counseling, peer support, and victim advocacy services are available for victims, family members, and others affected by gun violence. Go to metrophiladelphia.com/gun-violence-resources for more information.