A stray bullet wounded a 25-year-old woman, and a bullet nearly struck a woman sleeping in her home Wednesday morning after a shooting broke out in Philadelphia’s Fairhill neighborhood.
“That’s God who was with her,” said Pablo Fernandez, whose aunt was nearly hit by a stray bullet.
Fernandez said he and his family are counting their blessings.
“Yes, it could have hit her,” he said.
The bullet narrowly missed his aunt after Philadelphia police said it traveled around the block and went through her bedroom window.
Police said this was one of at least 17 shots fired just before 2 a.m. Wednesday at the intersection of North Marshall Street and West Lehigh Avenue.
Fernandez, who lives in an apartment above his aunt, also heard the shots.
“I quickly dived to the ground when I saw the boom,” he said. “My aunt jumped up and made a noise. I went downstairs and then I saw the bullets coming through her window.”
One of the bullets also wounded a 25-year-old woman who happened to be crossing the street, according to police. She is currently in stable condition after being shot in the leg.
“It’s tragic that you can walk across the street and, through no fault of your own, find yourself among people shooting indiscriminately on a corner,” said Captain James Kearney of the Philadelphia Police Department.
Kearney believes an argument between two groups led to the shooting.
A pastor whose church is near the shooting spoke of his concerns about the violence.
“It’s always a fight. It’s always an argument… it’s bad. It’s really bad here,” said Pastor Big Willie of One Cross Church.
Police reviewed surveillance footage that shows the shots were fired from a black SUV.
Police are asking the public for help with any tips that may help them track down the shooters.
