At least five people were killed and two minors were shot and wounded when a man wearing a bulletproof vest opened fire in a Philadelphia neighborhood on Monday, police said.
The injured, described as boys ages 2 and 13, were stable in a hospital, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle M. Outlaw said at a news conference. They were both shot in the leg, police said.
Two other people were injured by glass, police said.
Mayor Jim Kenney said he was frustrated that mass shootings continued to occur.
“This country needs to re-examine its conscience and figure out how to get guns out of the hands of dangerous people,” he told a news conference on Tuesday afternoon. “A person walking down a city street with an AR type rifle and randomly shooting people while wearing a body armor with several magazines is a shameful but all too common situation in America.”
All those who were killed were men. Police identified them 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.
The suspect, a 40-year-old man, 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.
He was arrested Monday evening, police said Tuesday. He has not been formally charged.
Another man was also taken into custody after authorities said he may have picked up a gun and fought back. He was released without charge after authorities found no basis for him illegally discharging a firearm, District Attorney Larry Krasner said at the Tuesday afternoon news conference.
Philadelphia Police Personnel Inspector Ernest Ransom said it appears the man acted in self-defense.
Ransom said the suspect fired “aimlessly at occupied vehicles and individuals on the street as they walked.”
A vehicle that was shot belonged to a woman who was driving her twin children home, he said. One twin, a 2-year-old boy, was shot in the leg and the other was injured in the eye by flying glass, police said.
A 33-year-old woman was also injured by shards of glass.
A motive was under investigation.
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.
Police found about 50 used 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 multiple times and was found dead by his father inside a house, police said, according to the station.
Outlaw said detectives were working to “do everything we can to figure out the ‘why’ behind this act”.
Kenney, the mayor, 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 article originally appeared on NBCNews.com