Philadelphia Shooting: Everything We Know About Eid al-Fitr Event

At least three people were shot during an Eid al-Fitr event in west Philadelphia on Wednesday, according to multiple reports.

The Context

Muslims around the world celebrated Eid al-Fitr on Wednesday, which means "the celebration of breaking the fast" and marks the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting, self-reflection and prayer.

The shooting comes as gun violence has remained prevalent in America in recent decades. According to data from the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit that tracks incidents in the United States, there has been an upward trend in gun-related deaths including homicides and suicides in the past decade, for the most part. In 2023, there were 43,128 gun deaths.

What We Know

The shooting happened during an Eid al-Fitr event in the Parkside section of Philadelphia on Wednesday at around 2:30 p.m. Around 1,000 people had gathered in a local park for a prayer service when gunfire erupted, according to CBS local affiliate KYW-TV.

Two groups of people were shooting at each other, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said at a news conference later that day, adding that about 30 gunshots were heard.

Four males and one female were arrested by police in connection to the shooting, Bethel said. Four of the suspects were juveniles, according to KYW-TV who cited police. Five firearms were also recovered at the scene, according to the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD).

A 15-year-old Black male armed with a gun was shot in the left arm and left leg by an officer, according to police. He was taken to hospital in stable condition and is "currently being held as a prisoner," PPD said. A 22-year-old Black man was hit in the stomach during the shooting and a 15-year-old Black male had a gunshot wound to his right ring finger, according to police. Both were taken to hospital in stable condition.

PPD also said that a 15-year-old female was struck by a patrol car during the incident and suffered a fractured leg. She was also taken to hospital in stable condition.

The shooting is being actively investigated and the officer who shot the 15-year-old suspect "has been placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of the Internal Affairs and Officer-Involved Shooting Investigations," according to police.

There was a large police presence at the scene and nearby schools were placed under lockdown, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Meanwhile, in New Jersey, the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University in New Brunswick was reportedly broken into and ransacked hours before morning prayers on Wednesday. Windows were smashed and a Palestinian flag was ripped off its pole in the front lobby, according to Kaiser Aslam, the Muslim Chaplain at Rutgers University.

"The community is shaken because it's our home on campus," Aslam told NorthJersey.com's Hannan Adely for an article published by the Daily Record on Wednesday. "It's a safe space for many of our students."

"This reprehensible act, occurring on our sacred day, is undoubtedly fueled by Islamophobia," Aslam said, adding that it was a "hate crime targeting our Muslim population at Rutgers."

What's Next?

It is unclear what the motive of the shooting was and if it was a hate crime. According to the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) there was a spike in anti-Muslim bias incidents in 2023. CAIR received 8,061 complaints last year, which is a 30-year high.

Nearly half of last year's complaints were reported after Hamas' surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, during which 1,200 people were killed and some 240 were taken back into Gaza as hostages. Israel has since struck back at Hamas in Gaza, killing more than 33,000 Palestinians, according to the AP.

Update 4/10/24, 3:36 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information.

Update 4/10/24, 4:00 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information.

Update 4/10/24, 5:03 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information.

Update 4/10/24, 5:35 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information.

Update 4/11/24, 10:23 a.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information.