Mass shootings in Philadelphia: what you need to know

An assailant using a military-style rifle killed five people and wounded two children on Monday in a shooting rampage in a Philadelphia neighborhood, firing shots into the open street and terrorizing passersby before being caught by police. Officials said they are treating the shooting as a random attack

The shooting was one of at least 348 incidents nationwide this year in which four or more people were injured or killed. according to the Gun Violence Archives.

Here’s what we know and don’t know so far.

What happened?

The assailant, wearing a balaclava and body armor, opened fire in the Kingsessing neighborhood of southwest Philadelphia sometime after 8 p.m. Monday, authorities said.

The shooting is believed to have started at a house and moved to the street, where the attacker fired a barrage of shots at nearby cars and people. A woman’s car was hit while driving home with her family, injuring her children.

The attack ended when police chased and arrested the attacker into an alley.

The shooting, which occurred on the eve of Independence Day, cast a shadow over the celebrations and added to the country’s growing concern over mass shootings, including a deadly attack during a July 4 parade in Highland Park, Illinois, last year.

Who were the victims?

The five people who died in Philadelphia were running errands, on their way home from work, or lived nearby. They ranged in age from 15 to 59 years old.

The youngest, Dajuan Brown, 15, was a rising sophomore at Jules E. Mastbaum High School, a vocational and technical school in Philadelphia. He spent the summer with his grandmother.

The teen “had his own little spunk in his dancing,” said his mother, Nyshyia Thomas, 34, who said her son’s death would be particularly hard on his siblings.

Ms Thomas said she was still processing never to see her ‘baby’ again, who had cheered those around him. “You were sad around him, he didn’t let you be sad,” she said.

Lashyd Merritt, 20, was on his way to the store when he was shot dead. According to his brother-in-law, Dominique Evans, he had just graduated from high school and worked for the IRS.

“He was a nice person,” said Mr. Evans. “Very caring, smart.”

Dymir Stanton, 29, was “good with people,” said Willa Mae Dill, an aunt who lives nearby and loved to visit with her nephew. A sports fan, he had a girlfriend and a 4-year-old daughter.

Ralph Moralis, 59, who worked in restaurants, was on his way home from work and was chatting with a friend shortly before gunfire broke out, said the friend, Omar Davis. “Good fellow,” said Mr. Davis. “He grew up in this community, everyone knows him.” Mr. Moralis was supposed to escort a daughter down the aisle at her wedding this weekend. That reports the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Joseph Wamah, Jr., 31WHO lived nearby, was also killed. Police have said they believe he was home alone at the time of the shooting and may have been the first victim.

Two children, ages 2 and 13, were hospitalized with injuries from the shooting and were in stable condition.

Who is the suspect?

The suspect, Kimbrady Carriker, 40, was charged Wednesday morning on more than 30 counts, including murder, attempted murder, assault and reckless endangerment.

There was initially some confusion over Mr Carriker’s gender identity, and at a press conference on Tuesday, authorities used the pronouns “she/it” to describe him. But on Wednesday, officials at the district attorney’s office said they had no information to indicate that the suspect considered himself anything but male.

Mr Carriker appeared via video in a courtroom on Wednesday, offering one-word answers from a chair in the corner of a cinder block room, his arms crossed tightly over a white jumpsuit. He was ordered to be held on murder charges and a hearing was scheduled for July 24.

Authorities have released few details about a possible motive.

District Attorney Larry Krasner said the shooting had “the hallmarks of many random mass shootings that happen in the United States.” He added, “This doesn’t seem to be a whole group of people who knew each other really well.”

Amy HarmonJon Hindrance, Campbell Robertson and Joel Wolfram contributed reporting