Philadelphia mass shooting: 8 Northeast High School Students Shoot at SEPTA bus stop Sun and Cottman

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Suspects wanted in Philly mass shooting that injured 8 at bus stop.Photo byauthor (licensed under CC BY 2.0)

Philadelphia police have shared footage of a group of suspects being sought in connection with a mass shooting that left eight students injured at a SEPTA bus stop in the Burholme neighborhood on Wednesday afternoon.

The incident occurred at around 3 p.m. at Rising Sun and Cottman Avenues while students from Northeast High School were waiting for the bus.

In the video, three suspects are seen exiting a dark blue 2019 Hyundai Sonata and shooting at the group gathered at the bus stop.

According to Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel, eight students aged 15 to 17 were shot during an incident as they were at the bus stop.

Bethel described how three individuals got out of a vehicle and started firing multiple times as the students were boarding the bus.

The most severely injured was a 16-year-old boy who sustained nine gunshot wounds and was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

The other victims, which included two 15-year-olds, four 16-year-olds, and a 17-year-old, suffered gunshot wounds as well.

Six of them are in stable condition, while the seventh is in critical but stable condition according to the police.

According to authorities, the individuals believed to be responsible were spotted heading towards Cheltenham Township by crossing the Tookany Creek Bridge.

The Hyundai Sonata they were driving has heavily tinted windows and is notably missing the "H" emblem from the front.

A witness, an employee at the nearby Quaker Diner, recounted hearing the gunfire and rushing to aid the injured parties.

She mentioned seeing multiple young individuals injured at the scene.

These children are dying every day out here, somebody's got to do something. This doesn't happen in this neighborhood," she said.

Dave Carter, a local worker, quickly halted his work upon hearing the sudden burst of gunshots.

"My fatherly and military instincts immediately took over – it was all about helping and supporting. I rushed over to the location and witnessed a group of children lying on the ground," he recounted.

Reports from SEPTA revealed that the gunfire targeted not only individuals but also hit a Route 18 bus and a Route 67 bus near the vicinity.

The Action Cam captured footage at the Frankford Transportation Center, where law enforcement had cordoned off one of the affected buses.

SEPTA has confirmed that no passengers or employees were injured, according to reports.

Philadelphia School District Superintendent Tony Watlington announced that crisis counselors will be available at the school on Thursday to assist students affected by the incident.

Expressing deep sorrow and frustration, Watlington stated, "We are profoundly saddened and outraged by the fact that innocent students making their way home from school are now facing the repercussions of gun violence."

In response to the situation, Northeast High School will transition to virtual learning for the remainder of the week.

This event marks the fourth shooting involving a SEPTA bus in less than one week.