Police released a video on Wednesday showing the exact moments five unidentified shooters ambushed a group of teens after a football scrimmage at Roxborough High School in Philadelphia. The gunmen all appeared to be juveniles.
The shooting happened Tuesday afternoon and police say that at least one of the victims was a target of the attack.
Philadelphia police say that 14-year-old Nicholas Elizalde of Havertown, who was killed, was “a totally innocent victim” of the attack,
“There was possibly some altercation in the lunchroom. Do we believe it was targeted? Yes,” Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said. “Who was the target? We’re still working to determine that.”
According to officials, the five shooters waited near the football field for six minutes until the five victims walked by the suspect’s light-colored Ford Explorer.
That’s when, they say, the suspects got out of the SUV and started shooting. Four of the shooters ran back to the vehicle after the initial burst of gunfire, but the fifth shooter chased the victims down the street shooting at a 17-year-old whom Smith believes was the target,
“That victim collapses on sidewalk. [The shooter] stands over top of him and continues firing,” Smith said. “The only thing that stopped this individual from firing was that apparently he had run out of bullets and the slide had locked.”
Police found more than 60 fired cartridges at the scene.
They are looking for the five suspects and the person who drove the SUV with both the police and Mayor Jim Kenney announcing a $40,000 reward for anyone who provides information that leads to an arrest in the case.
“This violence must stop and the cowards who use these weapons must be held accountable. I know there are people out there who know who these guys are.”
Police asked anyone with information to call 215-686-8477.
So far this year, 178 children have been shot in Philadelphia and 23 have died.
