8 High School Students Shot at Bus Stop in Philadelphia

Bus stops for high school should be one of the last places to see mass casualties from a shooting. Unfortunately, eight students were shot while standing at a SEPTA bus stop at Rising Sun and Cottman Avenues in Philadelphia on Wednesday, March 6th.

Watch the surveillance video posted on X by the Philadelphia police in an effort to obtain more information on the suspects:

WANTED for shooting 8 juveniles on 3/6/24 at 7300 Rising Sun Ave. Suspects armed and dangerous – do not approach. If you have information on these suspects -please call or 215-686-TIPS(8477) or 911 pic.twitter.com/cspPIL5LLv

— Philadelphia Police Department (@PhillyPolice) March 7, 2024

CBS News has more on the police report:

Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said the students range from 15 to 17 years old. One, a 16-year-old, was shot nine times in the torso and placed in critical condition. All of the others are in stable condition, police said.

Police are searching for three masked shooters who were inside a dark blue Hyundai Sonata with paper tags.

Bethel said as the students were getting onto a SEPTA bus, three shooters exited the vehicle near a Dunkin’ and fired more than 30 shots.

Police sources said a car matching the dark blue Hyundai’s description was recovered overnight in the city’s Olney section.

The shooting is yet another incident of mass violence, leading to city leaders, neighbors, and bystanders throughout Philadelphia to become more frustrated.

6 ABC News has more on the reactions from bystanders of the event:

“I looked over and there was four other kids lying down,” said Holly Castor, who works nearby.

“He was shot in his back — his spine,” Castor said. “I put pressure on it. There was a lady on the phone with 911. Because he was sitting, they told him to lay on his belly so he could stop the blood.”

One woman who works at the nearby Quaker Diner heard the gunshots and ran out to try and help the victims. She reported seeing several juveniles wounded.

“These children are dying every day out here, somebody’s got to do something. This doesn’t happen in this neighborhood,” she said.

Dave Carter, who works nearby, immediately stopped working when he heard the rapid gunfire.

“Fatherly instinct, military instinct kicked in so – it was aid and assist. [I] ran out over to the scene and saw a whole bunch of kids [lying] on the ground,” he recalled.

Fox 29 News adds more on the specifics of the injuries of each of the victims:

The following victims ranging from ages 15-17 were injured during the incident and transported to local hospitals via officials:

• A 16-year-old boy sustained nine gunshot wounds to his torso and is in critical condition.
• A 15-year-old boy sustained two gunshot wounds to his left arm and one to the upper back.
• A 15-year-old boy was shot once in his lower back.
• A 16-year-old boy suffered gunshot wounds to his chest, right leg, and right arm.
• A 16-year-old boy was shot once in his left buttocks and right thigh.
• A 17-year-old boy was shot once in the left leg.
• A 16-year-old boy was shot once in the left leg.
• One victim, a 16-year-old boy, sustained a gunshot wound to the upper back, He was the only victim transported to the hospital via private vehicle.

Unfortunately, this is just another shooting at a bus stop within the week, as five were injured on Monday during a bus shooting.

At this time, police are unsure if the two evens are related, but they will be increasing resources to the police within the city.

CNN News has more on the comments of the Philadelphia mayor:

The mayor assured residents that city officials will do everything they can to ensure the public’s safety.

“And we don’t apologize for using every legal and constitutional tool in our tool belt in order to get that done,” Parker added.

Many have taken to X to voice their reactions to this tragic event:

4th black SE Pennsylvania mass shooting in “less than a week.”
But MSM will not report this.
But if a white person shot 4 MASS Shooting would be everywhere!

Report: 8 Wounded After 3 Suspects Open Fire at Philadelphia Bus Stop https://t.co/iPLRw0Kxgz via @BreitbartNews

— Mr.RCM10001 (@RCM9953) March 7, 2024

8 Teens Shot at Philadelphia Bus Stop; 4th Bus Shooting in 4 Days . Philly is a shooting gallery for thugs. Elected Officials say "enough is enough" — over and over and over and over.. for the cameras. https://t.co/NRRYsTVWrz

— Tom Spencer (@trsmiami) March 7, 2024

Oh look another mass shooting in the US…sigh. Eight teens shot at Philadelphia bus stophttps://t.co/rFrBYR193l.

— Phil Gurski (@borealissaves) March 7, 2024

This event marks yet another mass shooting in the United States, pushing the need for change. The issue is not the guns, it’s the handling of the criminals using the guns which needs to change.