An active shooter situation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has reportedly injured six police officers. It’s unclear how many shooters are involved at present with some reports pointing to a single shooter while other reports claim that there are up to four suspects. One shooter is believed to be streaming the events on a private Facebook Live stream, according to Fox29 who are on the scene.
The reports that at least one shooter is streaming on Facebook is part of a disturbing recent trend of shooters using social media to broadcast their actions. Earlier this year, the Christchurch shooter broadcast his massacre on Facebook Live. In 2018, a man shot his girlfriend dead during a Facebook Live broadcast. In 2017, an elderly man was shot and killed in Cleveland while the killer broadcast the murder on Facebook Live. And in 2016, a Chicago man, who was live streaming a video of himself on Facebook, was shot dead during the broadcast.
Fox29 says that the suspects are currently inside a home in the area of Nicetown-Tioga. None of the six police officers injuries are believed to be life-threatening and they are currently receiving treatment at area hospitals. Two officers are currently pinned down in the house.
Breaking911 is reporting that the shootout started while police were conducting a narcotics investigation with several officers inside the building with the suspects at the time gunfire broke out. Breaking911 adds that shots were fired by at least one suspect through the first-floor ceiling in an apparent attempt to injure the police officers who were inside the building. A SWAT team and multiple agencies are reportedly responding to the situation.
Multiple users on Twitter are reporting that police have the shooter’s girlfriend and want her to show them the private Facebook Live stream of the shooting.
Other Twitter users are claiming that the shooter’s girlfriend says he has multiple guns which include AR-15 rifles and handguns.
Eric Gripp, a police sergeant for the Philadelphia police, says police officers are currently attempting to communicate with the shooter and asking him to surrender to prevent further injuries.
The situation has now been ongoing for three hours. Gripp is advising locals to avoid the area.
Update – August 15, 2019: The shooting standoff ended after eight hours with the suspect surrendering.
