Shooting at Philadelphia park leaves 2 dead, 9 wounded

Two people were killed and nine others wounded in a mass shooting that broke out at a park in Philadelphia, according to officials.

The shooting occurred shortly after 10:30 p.m. on Monday in Fairmount Park at the 800 block of Lemon Hill Drive. According to police, officers from the 9th District were nearby when multiple shots were fired during an unpermitted gathering in the park.

Mayor Cherelle Parker called the attack a “heinous act of violence,” confirming that a 21-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman were killed.

The deceased victims were identified as Amya Devlin, a 23-year-old woman, and Mikhail Bowers, a 21-year-old man. Both were transported to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where they were pronounced dead.

The injured victims included three juveniles. Nine people were taken to area hospitals with gunshot wounds and are reported to be in stable condition.

“We will not be held hostage by anyone who decides that they want to get assault-like, warlike weaponry, guns with switches,” Parker said during a briefing on Tuesday. “We will be unapologetic about making sure that the public health and safety of our people and our city is our number one priority.”

Mayor Parker said three different types of shell casings were recovered at the scene, indicating that at least three shooters were involved. Police also believe a weapon was equipped with a “switch,” an illegal device that converts a semi-automatic firearm into fully automatic fire.

The area where the shooting occurred was very dark, and it remains unclear how many people were present at the exact moment gunfire erupted. Officials estimate that as many as 900 people may have been present at various points throughout the event.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said officers were stationed 75 to 100 feet away when the shooting began and immediately started assisting victims and transporting them to hospitals.

Police have secured the area and the investigation remains ongoing. No arrests have been announced in connection with the shooting.