Neighborhood shooting leaves three young victims dead

In a tragic incident, three people lost their lives, and another person was injured in a quadruple shooting in Lawncrest, Philadelphia, on Friday. Two of the deceased were confirmed as Philadelphia students by the School District of Philadelphia. The students, one in eighth grade and another in 11th grade, attended The Mathematics, Civics, and Sciences Charter School Inc.

The tragic event occurred around 3:30 p.m. The young victims of the shooting were identified as 17-year-old Malik Ballard, 18-year-old Khalif Frezghi, and 14-year-old Salah Fleming.

Police found Ballard on the sidewalk, Frezghi on a porch, and Fleming inside a residence. All three of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene.

A fourth victim, a 16-year-old, was driven in a private vehicle to a hospital nearby after sustaining a gunshot wound to the stomach. The teenager is in stable condition, but their identity has not been revealed.

Following the shooting, police arrested two teenage males, a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old, inside a Black Ford Edge on Friday evening. The suspects were charged with firearms violations. Officers also recovered a firearm at the scene within a residence.

Lawncrest residents are growing increasingly frustrated with the persistent violence in their neighborhood. Just two weeks prior to this incident, another violent shooting took place outside the Lawncrest Recreation Center, with nearly 30 shots fired, including one that went through a daycare window.