March 04, 2025
Thom Carroll/For PhillyVoice
A young male was fatally shot at the Russell DeRitis Playground in Kingsessing on Monday night, Philadelphia police say. The shooter fled on foot. No arrest have been made.
A young male — likely a teenager — was shot and killed while he was sitting at a playground in Southwest Philadelphia on Monday night, police said.
The shooter snuck up on the teen at the Russell DeRitis Playground on the 5600 block of Grays Avenue in Kingsessing and fired at least nine shots at close range in the face, head, back and torso just before 9 p.m., 6ABC reported. Surveillance video shows the shooter fleeing on foot.
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The teen, who had not been identified by authorities as of Monday night, was taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and pronounced dead at 9:05 p.m.
"He appears to be a male in his mid to late teens. So right now he's a John Doe," Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small told 6ABC. "We had no identification on him. So we don't know if he is a juvenile, under 18, or an adult possibly 18 or 19 or 20 years old."
Police said the shooter was wearing dark clothing with a light hooded sweatshirt underneath. They have not released a detailed description of him.
Investigators are looking at nearby surveillance footage to determine a motive. Anyone with information can call police at (215) 686-8477.
