At least five people were killed and two others, both minors, were shot and wounded when a man wearing a bulletproof vest opened fire Monday in a Philadelphia neighborhood, police said.
The injured were described as boys, ages 2 and 13, who were stable in a hospital, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle M. Outlaw said at a news conference. They were shot in the legs, police said.
Two men have been taken into custody, police said on Tuesday. Earlier, authorities said they believe they have detained the shooter. The other man may have picked up a gun and fired back, police told a news conference.
A police spokesman said no formal charges had been filed.
The alleged shooter is described as a 40-year-old man who had a semi-automatic rifle, a handgun, a ballistic vest and a police scanner.
He also had multiple rounds of ammunition, Outlaw said. She described the rifle as being in the style of the AR-15, a weapon originally developed for military use.
A motive was under investigation.
All those who were shot were men. Police identified the victims who died on Tuesday as Lashyd Merritt, 20; Dymir Stanton, 29; Ralph Moralis, 59; Daujan Brown, 15; and Joseph Wamah, Jr., 31. They had all been shot several times.
Two other people, a 33-year-old woman and a 2-year-old boy, were injured by flying glass.
Officers responding to the attack at 8:29 p.m. heard gunshots and gave chase, and the suspect continued to fire, Outlaw said.
“He was actively shooting a gun at the time,” she said.
He finally pulled over when he was stuck in an alley and got away without incident, Outlaw said. She congratulated the first officers at the scene.
“I can’t even describe the level of bravery and courage that was shown,” she said.
When the firing stopped, police found about 50 spent shell casings, Outlaw said. Several vehicles were hit by gunfire.
Police believe all of those shot were either on the street or in vehicles when they were struck, Outlaw said.
“At this point, we see no connection to any of the victims and the shooter,” she said. She said police are investigating what happened and why.
Police initially said eight people were beaten, but later revised the number to six. A seventh person was later found shot and killed.
NBC Philadelphia reported that the attack took place in multiple locations. Outlaw said the area covered two blocks by four blocks.
Outlaw described gunshots in multiple locations. Officers were first reported in the area of 56th and Chester streets, and there were also calls of gunshots, she said.
Officers arrived and found people shot dead. As they prepared them for transport to the hospital, she said, more shots rang out from the top of the street at 56th Street and Kingsessing Avenue.
After police attended, more gunfire occurred on nearby Frazier Street, Outlaw said. The foot chase was on Frazier, and it ended in an alley there, Outlaw said.
“The way it was described to me was that once he was cornered in the driveway, the officers ordered him to show his hands, and they were able to take him into custody without another incident,” she said.
Police later said a fifth person, a 31-year-old man, was found dead, according to NBC Philadelphia.
The man had been shot several times and was found dead by his father inside a house, police said, according to the outlet.
Outlaw said detectives were working “to do everything we can to figure out the ‘why’ behind this act”.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney tweeted that he was horrified by the reports of the shooting.
“My heart is with the loved ones and families of everyone involved, and I send my prayers to the victims,” he said.
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com.
This article originally appeared on TODAY.com