Cops: 10 at Philly cookout hit by birdshot from shotgun


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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Police said 10 people were injured, including a toddler, at a Philadelphia cookout when they were hit by birdshot from a shotgun, and two men are being sought.

Witnesses told police that the suspects fired down a block with a shotgun at least once in West Philadelphia's Belmont neighborhood shortly before 10 p.m. Saturday. Police said the pair then drove down the street in a gold sedan, firing several more shots, possibly with a handgun.

"It looks like they just randomly fired down the street and just hit whoever was in their way, which is just a terrible situation," Philadelphia Police Lt. John Walker told reporters at the scene.

Police said the victims are a 1-year-old girl and two boys, ages 11 and 12, as well as four men aged 22 to 25 and three women ranging in age from 44 to 59. A police spokeswoman said all were taken to hospitals and listed in stable condition.

One suspect was described as black, in his 20s with a beard and tattoos on one arm, wearing a yellow T-shirt and blue jeans, while the second was described as black and wearing dark blue jeans and a black shirt.

Shortly before the group was fired upon, a 21-year-old man was found less than a mile away with multiple gunshot wounds in the torso and head. He was pronounced dead minutes later at a local hospital. Police said the motive for that shooting is unknown, and there was no indication whether it might be connected to the later gunfire.

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