Philadelphia Eid shooting leaves 3 injured

At least three people were shot and injured in a shootout between rival groups near aan Eid al-Fitr event outside a mosque in Philadelphia on Wednesday. 

Around 30 shots were fired at the Muslim celebration marking the end of the month of Ramadan around 2:30 p.m. local time, police said. Around 1,000 people were present at the event, including many children. 

The event occurred at Clara Muhammad Square. Many people ran to tents near the park, hid behind trees or dropped to the ground and shielded children.

One man was shot in the stomach, and a juvenile victim had a wound to the hand, police said.

Five taken into custody

Five people have been taken into custody, including a 15-year-old who was shot by the police in the leg and shoulder and taken to the hospital. The suspects include four males and a female. Five guns were also confiscated. Possible motives for the shooting have not yet been determined.

"We are very, very fortunate today that we did not have more individuals shot and anyone killed. Ninety-nine percent of the people attending this event were good people who wanted to have a good time," Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said in a press conference.

"This is just a celebration of life for God to forgive us for our sins. There's one month that God chains the devil down, so whoever did this can't even blame the devil," Zania Weatherford, who was present near the venue, told AP news agency.

"All my years of living in Philadelphia, I've never seen nothing like this, especially at the masjid. Just as much crime as it may be in Philadelphia. It was always separated from the masjid," said Thomas Allen, who was at the Philadelphia Masjid.

tg/sms (AFP, AP)