8 shot during bloody night in Philly

Shell casings littered streets in three Philadelphia neighborhoods as eight people were shot around the city in about an hour and a half Wednesday night, including the gunning down of a man in North Philadelphia, a bloody home invasion in Eastwick, and a possible drive-by in Point Breeze.

In the first incident, a 27-year-old man was hospitalized in stable condition after being shot three times on Allegheny Avenue near 13th Street in North Philadelphia about 10:55 p.m. Wednesday, police said. The unidentified victim was sitting in his parked minivan on 13th Street when a man approached him and began shooting, said Chief Inspector Scott Small.

The victim was wounded twice in his legs and once in his back. Medics took him to Temple University Hospital. Although police believe the victim knew his attacker, investigators were unsure of the motive behind the shooting as of early this morning. Six 40-caliber shell casings were found on the scene and the man's minivan was struck by the gunfire at least once, Small said. Police believe the suspect shot at the victim while he sat in the van and continued shooting as the man tried running away.

Then, a little later, about 11:20 p.m. Wednesday, a group of men pushed their way into a rowhouse in the Eastwick neighborhood of Southwest Philadelphia and shot three people during what police suspect was a drug-related robbery attempt.

Police say that three men and a woman were inside the house Medrick Street near Plover when they heard a knock on the door. As one of the occupants opened the door, three men forced their way inside guns blazing.

The three men inside, ages 23, 29 and 30, were shot in the house, and later hospitalized at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in critical condition. The woman was not hurt.

The intruders fled quickly, but it was unclear if they stole anything.

Two of the victims were brothers who were packaging up a large amount of marijuana when the home invasion occurred, said Lt. John Walker of the Southwest Detective Division. A large amount of marijuana was discovered in the house and a black and red backpack filled with zip ties and gloves was found outside, he said.

Police believe a 24-year-old man who showed up later at HUP with a gunshot wound may have also been involved in the shooting. He claimed to police that he was shot on 58th and Kingsessing streets. However, investigators said there was never a shooting reported at that location, and that police were in the area where the man claimed to have been shot.

The four victims — and the woman who was inside of the house — were being interviewed by police Wednesday night.

Finally, in another incident about 12:39 a.m. today, three men were wounded in a shootout in Point Breeze. That round of gunfire erupted from at least two weapons on 22nd Street near Reed. Two 28-year-old men were shot — one in the face and the other in the foot — and a 30-year-old man was wounded when a bullet tore through his thigh, Small said.

The two younger victims were taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where both were listed in stable condition. The third victim was dropped off at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was also stable, cops said.

Police found 12 spent shell casings from a 9mm handgun and a .45-caliber handgun littering the street. Investigators said they believe at least one of the men shot was an innocent bystander.

"We heard the first two shots and I was like, 'Turn off the TV.' Then it was like, 'Pop, pop, pop, pop,'" said a longtime resident of the block who identified herself only as Linda and said she was in a second-floor bedroom with her 7-year-old daughter when she heard the gunfire erupt.

She said other neighbors had been sitting outside when it happened, one of which was holding a baby at the time of the shooting.

The neighbor said one of the men shot was recently released from prison.

"He's been doing good, that's why I was shocked that he was the one who got shot," she said of the victim.

Small said detectives were reviewing footage from surveillance cameras located outside a mini market on the corner and a church on the block to see if it captured any of the shooting. Police were also exploring the possibility that part of the shooting may have been a drive-by, but no description of any shooters or vehicles was available.

There were no witnesses, police said.