Multiple people were shot on Wednesday at an Eid celebration in Philadelphia, where dozens of Muslims had gathered to celebrate the end of Ramadan.
It remains unclear if the shooting was targeted, but at least five people are believed to have been injured, including the suspect who is now in police custody at the hospital.
It is not yet clear if they were shot by a police officer who was at the scene and opened fire when the chaos began.
The event was taking place outside the Philadelphia Masjid, with NBA star Mo Bamba among those in attendance.
At around 2pm, gunshots pierced through the terrified crowd.
In the panic, a pedestrian was struck by a car while trying to flee.
A person talks to an officer in the aftermath of a shooting at an Eid al-Fitr event in Philadelphia, Wednesday
People gather in the aftermath of a shooting at an Eid al-Fitr event in Philadelphia, Wednesday, April 10, 2024
A person picks up debris in the aftermath of a shooting at an Eid event in Philadelphia
Police and officials gather on a cordoned off street at the scene of a shooting, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Philadelphia
A heavy police presence has descended on the area near the Philadelphia Masjid. It is unclear exactly how many people have been shot or what the extent of their injuries are
Officials have set up a family reunification center after groups were separated when shots rang out, sending the large crowd into a frenzy.
Abdallah Legh, General Manager of nearby Girard Meat Market, told Fox29 he heard around three or four shots from the area.
He said the crowd ran from the scene, and up to 30 children flooded to his store for safety.
‘Everybody was running,’ he said.
A young child purportedly began live streaming after the shooting, where he said: ‘This is scary because I almost got shot.’
‘I was running straight and almost got shot, and I just kept running…’
NBA star Mo Bamba was among those in attendance at the event
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said in a statement after the shooting that he has increased police presence at mosques, but there is no direct known threat.
‘Although there is no direct threat to Nassau County due to the shootings in Philadelphia, I have ordered increased patrols around Mosques throughout the County to protect our residents,’ the statement read.
‘The public is reminded to call 911 immediately if they see or hear anything threatening or suspicious.’
Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey tweeted: ‘My office has been in touch with local officials on the shooting at a Eid al-Fitr event in Philadelphia.
‘As we gather more details, I urge everyone to stay safe and listen to law enforcement.’
Among those at event were local politicians, including Jamie Gauthier
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