PHILADELPHIA — A violent stretch of shootings and stabbings shook Philadelphia between the evening of Thursday, July 3, and the early hours of Friday, July 4, resulting in at least two deaths and several serious injuries across the city. Police say the incidents appear to be unrelated but reflect a troubling surge in violent crime.
The first fatality occurred around 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the 6300 block of Revere Street. Officers responding to reports of gunfire found 15-year-old Rasheid Lynch with gunshot wounds in a residential driveway. Despite efforts from first responders, the teen was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have yet to identify a suspect, and no arrests have been made.
Just hours later, at about 9:30 p.m., two people were injured in a shooting on the 9700 block of East Roosevelt Boulevard. An 18-year-old woman was shot in the shoulder and taken to the hospital in stable condition. A 50-year-old man also sustained a graze wound to the head but declined medical care. Police continue to investigate and have not released any information about a possible suspect.
Violence escalated further at 10 p.m. when two women, ages 29 and 25, were stabbed on the 300 block of South 60th Street. Both were hospitalized in stable condition. Authorities are searching for a female suspect last seen wearing an orange shirt and black tights. No arrests have been made in this case either.
By 10:30 p.m., officers responded to another shooting on the 700 block of West Butler Street. A 50-year-old man had been shot in the stomach and was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. The shooter, described only as a masked male, fled the scene. Police are reviewing surveillance footage and canvassing the area for leads.
Shortly before 1 a.m. Friday, a man and a woman sitting inside a parked car on the 6000 block of Market Street were shot. The man died at the scene, marking the second homicide of the night. The woman survived and is recovering. Detectives are investigating the motive and searching for suspects.
Additional incidents were reported throughout the early morning. A man was stabbed on Hartville Street at 4:40 a.m., and another man suffered a gunshot wound near 10th and Tioga just before 6 a.m. As investigations continue, police are urging anyone with information to come forward to help bring those responsible to justice.