A joyous Eid al-Fitr celebration in West Philadelphia turned into a scene of chaos and violence on Wednesday afternoon when a shooting broke out between two rival factions, leaving three people injured and five arrested, according to police. The incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. at Clara Muhammad Square, where approximately 1,000 people had gathered to celebrate the Islamic holiday marking the end of Ramadan.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel stated that the shooting was not connected to the religious celebration but rather a result of a dispute between two groups present in the park. "When we see individuals beefing and going at each other, oftentimes, they don't care where they see each other," Bethel said. "In this case, clearly, they saw something going on in the park. What that was caused two factions to start to pull out guns and shoot at each other."
Witnesses described a scene of widespread panic and chaos as families, children, and elderly attendees rushed to escape the gunfire. Najah Bey, who was attending the event with her family, said, "We were just running and running and one of my family members got shot in the stomach." Bey's cousin was among the three people wounded in the shooting, which also included a 22-year-old male shot in the stomach and a juvenile with a gunshot wound to the hand.
The incident resulted in a citywide police response, with officers stopping three male and one female suspect who were running from the scene. Four weapons were recovered from these suspects, three of whom were juveniles. Another officer engaged with a 15-year-old male suspect, firing and striking the teen in his shoulder and leg before recovering a weapon from him. The suspect was then transferred to the hospital.
Amid the chaos, a teenage girl was struck by a patrol wagon during the police response, resulting in a fractured leg. Commissioner Bethel expressed his condolences, saying, "We send our prayers out to her and her family. That is not our intended purpose, and we will make sure we will be following up with her and her family."
The shooting has sent shockwaves through the surrounding Muslim community, with many expressing their disappointment and disbelief that a celebration of one of the religion's holiest days could end in such violence. Fareed Abdullah, a local teacher who was at the celebration, described the scene as "complete chaos" and expressed concern about the long-term impact on the community. "So many people are going to be afraid now," Abdullah said. "Some people may have PTSD from this."
Thomas Allen, a 49-year-old local resident and member of a non-profit initiative to help young people stay away from violence, was particularly disappointed by the involvement of young people in the shooting. "It's the holy month of Ramadan. Of all my years of living in Philadelphia, I've never seen nothing like this," Allen said. "It's unheard of. We have to do more to develop our children."
Commissioner Bethel addressed the issue of young people's involvement in gun violence, emphasizing the importance of parental engagement and responsibility. "If you're not engaged with your child and trying to figure out what they're doing, whether they're hiding guns in your house, any activity they've involved (in), then you're not doing your duty," he said.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also responded to the shooting and was on the scene Wednesday afternoon. As the investigation continues, the Muslim community in West Philadelphia grapples with the aftermath of this traumatic event and the challenges of ensuring the safety and well-being of their families during future celebrations.
