A Philadelphia 4th of July celebration ended in chaos after two police officers were shot and injured. According to NBC News, the incident took place as tens of thousands of people congregated at the Museum of Art for fireworks and live music.
It’s been confirmed that both of the victims were stabilized at a hospital after being hit by gunfire. City Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw shared during an overnight news conference that her men (ages 36 and 44) have been treated and released.
One of those shot is said to have been a traffic officer for the city department, while the other was a member of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Bomb and Hazardous Device Disposal Unit, assigned to the Philly department.
Both victims were working security for today’s festivities and neither of them heard gunfire at the time that they were struck. As NBC News notes, it remains unclear what caused pandemonium amongst the crowd if the gunfire wasn’t heard, though police shooing the crowds is a possibility.
Outlaw added that the source of the shots is still a mystery, although it could’ve been someone aiming from afar or a ricochet of celebratory gunfire.
One officer’s head was grazed by a bullet while the other was hit in his right shoulder shortly before 10 PM.
As you may have already heard, the Philadelphia incident wasn’t the only shooting that took place today. In Highland Park, six people were tragically killed and at least 24 more were seriously injured after a gunman opened fire from the rooftop of a nearby building – read more about that here, and tap back in with HNHH later for more news updates.
[Via]