A shooting erupted during an Eid al-Fitr event in West Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon, injuring at least three people and causing pandemonium near one of the neighborhood’s largest mosques.
Quick Read
- A shooting occurred at an Eid al-Fitr celebration in West Philadelphia, injuring at least three individuals.
- The incident took place near the Philadelphia Masjid in the Parkside section of the city, amidst festivities marking the end of Ramadan.
- Law enforcement responded to the scene around 2:30 p.m., with dozens of officers attending to the situation.
- One of the injured is in custody, and both have been taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center for treatment.
- An officer discharged their service weapon during the incident, although it’s unclear if this resulted in any injuries.
- The cause of the shooting is still under investigation, with no immediate signs indicating it was a hate-based attack.
- Witnesses suggested that the shooting followed a dispute during the celebration, which was one of several Eid events in the city.
- The aftermath saw the area littered with abandoned belongings and signs of the chaos that ensued.
- Community leaders and advocates expressed dismay and frustration over the violence marring the religious celebration, emphasizing the unacceptable nature of such acts, especially in the presence of children.
- Plans for a public denouncement of violence by the Muslim community were in place, with a scheduled event outside City Hall.
The Associated Press has the story:
At least two shot when gunfire erupts at Philadelphia Eid al-Fitr event
Newslooks- PHILADELPHIA (AP) —
At least three people were shot Wednesday at an Eid al-Fitr event in Philadelphia, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official could not discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity. It was not immediately clear what caused the shooting or how many shooters may have been involved. The injured were being treated at hospitals, but further details on their injuries were not immediately disclosed.
Dozens of police officers responded to the shooting in the city’s Parkside section. The shooting happened in an area where residents were celebrating Eid al-Fitr, the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Police responded to reports of gunfire around 2:30 p.m. near Philadelphia Masjid on the 4700 block of Wyalusing Avenue. At least two people were shot and taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, and one of the two is in custody.
A police officer also fired their service weapon at the scene. The officer was not hurt and it was not immediately clear if they shot anyone.
Two groups of people started firing at each other, and people began fleeing the scene, he said.
Officers took into custody four males and a female, and four weapons were recovered at the scene, Bethel said. One suspect, a 15-year-old boy who police said had a gun, was shot by police and sustained wounds to his shoulder and leg. A man also was shot in the stomach, and another juvenile had a wound to his hand. No one was killed, police said.
There was no immediate evidence to suggest the shooting was a hate-based attack. Two people who attended the event said the gunshots rang out after what appeared to be a fight during the celebration — one of several Eid festivals across the city marking the end of Ramadan this week
Signs of the chaos lingered around Clara Muhammad Square hours after the shooting. Food, baby strollers, and clothes lay abandoned on the sidewalk, and trash cans had been knocked over near the park playground.
“We’re frustrated that this is what became of a beautiful day,” said Dwight Olds, program director for the Institute for the Development of African American Youth, or IDAAY.
Olds was told a fight broke out — quickly followed by gunfire.
”You shot up a day of prayer,” said Don Jones, an antiviolence advocate and a leader of Philly’s Muslim community. “There were children here. This is not acceptable in our communities.”
Zania Weatherford, who said she has been coming to the festival for about six years, said she was in the park enjoying the celebration and had gone to her car “for a minute” when she heard 20-30 gunshots and saw people running across the street from the park. She said she stayed in her car, scared and unsure of what to do, then called relatives who were also at the event to make sure they were safe.
“Last year, someone set off firecrackers and scared everyone,” Weatherford said. “This is just a celebration of life for God to forgive us for our sins. There’s one month that God chains the devil down, so whoever did this can’t even blame the devil.”
Eid al-Fitr is an Islamic holiday marking the end of Ramadan, the month when devout Muslims fast daily from dawn to sunset. Ramadan is a time of increased worship, charity, and good deeds. Eid al-Fitr means the feast, or festival, of breaking the fast.
Last week, about 20 local Imams met with city leaders about coming together as a Muslim community to denounce violence, Jones added. The group had scheduled an event for Friday morning outside City Hall to make that stance public.
Haniyahh Dwight, 42, said she came to Clara Muhammad Square from her home in Chester to celebrate Eid at one of the largest events in the area — “one of the greatest gatherings” for the festival after Ramadan, she said.
