Quadruple shooting in West Philly erupts weeks before school opening - Axios PhiladelphiaLog InLog InAxios Philadelphia is an Axios company.

Quintuple shooting at rec center erupts weeks before school opening

Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios The Kenney administration delayed its plan to provide updates on its back-to-school safety plans on Wednesday after a quintuple shooting near a West Philly recreation center the previous night. The latest: Mayor Jim Kenney said he expects the city to reveal an "enhanced program for school safety" within the next two weeks following a news conference with other officials and police about the shooting near the Shepard Recreation Center. City officials were expected to focus on school safety at the biweekly gun violence briefing yesterday, which was canceled due to the shooting. Kenney said police plan to boost their presence around back-to-school events and recreation centers. Of note: The first day of school is . The big picture: The shooting was the latest in a violent year where 345 people have been killed as of Wednesday, according to the .That's up 2% compared to the same time in . Details: Police have arrested three suspected gunmen — all 22 years old — over the shooting that erupted around 7pm Tuesday around the 300 block of North 57th Street, officials said. The suspects were driving a white SUV when they opened fire, then attempted to flee but crashed their car, police said. Three additional people are believed to have been in the SUV but fled after the crash, said chief inspector Frank Vanore. What happened: Around were fired as people gathered at the recreation center, including for youth football practice. Five victims ages 17-25 suffered gunshot wounds, police said.Two people were hospitalized and were in extremely critical condition, officials said. What they're saying: Nicole Walton, who was watching her 8-year-old son practicing football at the recreation center when the shots erupted, said she doubted the city and school district could adequately keep students safe this year. "How do I know it's really going to be safe?" she told Axios. "I don’t even want my kids to go out of the house." What's next: The city is considering offering up to a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of people who shoot others around a school, recreation center or pool, Kenney said. Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

More Philadelphia stories

No stories could be found Get a free daily digest of the most important news in your backyard with Axios Philadelphia.Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.