PHILADELPHIA — Two officers were shot as spectators gathered for an Independence Day fireworks display in Philadelphia on Monday night.
One officer received a gunshot wound to the shoulder, while a bullet grazed a second officer’s head, according to NBC Philadelphia. The officers were reportedly taken to the hospital and are in stable condition.
“There is a security incident on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Please follow public safety instructions and avoid area. Details to follow,” Philadelphia officials said in a tweet at 10:04 p.m. The department has not responded to a request for comment, but one officer near the scene confirmed to the Washington Examiner that shots were fired.
There is a security incident on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Please follow public safety instructions and avoid area. Details to follow.
— Philadelphia OEM (@PhilaOEM) July 5, 2022
Shortly after a fireworks display began by the Art Museum near the city’s downtown, police cars and motorcycles could be seen racing toward the scene as attendees fled. A helicopter cast floodlights overhead as fireworks exploded in the distance.
The incident occurred the same day six people were killed and dozens wounded in a shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois.
The heavy presence of police could be felt at the Philadelphia fireworks display even before chaos broke out, with officers stationed on sidewalks blocks away from the Museum mall. The fireworks capped off a concert held on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway that evening.
Attendees fleeing the fireworks display described a chaotic scene. One attendee told the Washington Examiner that police instructed spectators to evacuate. Another described hearing someone yell about a shooter.
This is a breaking story. Please check back for updates.
