4 killed, 2 injured in Philadelphia mass shooting

NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES — At least four people were killed and two were injured in a shooting on Monday night in Philadelphia, and a suspect was taken into custody, police said.

The shootings took place over several city blocks in the southwestern neighborhood of Kingsessing. Responding officers chased the suspect as he continued to fire, and he was arrested in an alley after surrendering, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said at a news conference.

The suspect, a man believed to be 40 years old, did not appear to have any connection to the victims, said Outlaw, adding that he had a bulletproof vest and a police scanner.

"At this point, all we know is that this person decided to leave their home and target individuals," Outlaw said.

A second person was also taken into custody who may have returned fire at the suspect, but police did not know whether there was a connection between the two people, she said.

There were three guns recovered from the scene, including a rifle and a handgun that belonged to the suspect.

Three of the dead were between 20 and 59 years old, while the fourth, who had not yet been identified, was estimated to be between 16 and 21 years old. All were male.

The shooting came a day after two people were shot dead and 28 others injured, about half of them children, in a hail of gunfire at an outdoor neighborhood block party in Baltimore, Maryland. Police said they were still seeking multiple suspects in that shooting.

The Philadelphia violence is the United States' 29th mass killing this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University in Boston, the highest on record by this time in the year.

Agencies via Xinhua