Shootings Of The Day: Mass Shooting In Germantown, Five Deputies Shot In Florence

A mass shooting took place in Philadelphia at a Dollar General in Germantown injuring at least five people. At least one of the victims was listed in critical condition but a total of five were taken to the hospital after being shot in a drive-by shooting at a Germantown shopping center just outside of Philadelphia Wednesday. Police say the victims' ages range from 19-23 and they were standing outside a Dollar General Store when the shooting occurred.

Witnesses described a white Chevrolet Impala that pulled up to the group around 3 p.m. That is when two gunmen inside the vehicle fired a total of 18 shots police say. One of the victims was shot in the head while the other four victims were shot in the hands, arms, and foot. Emergency responders hurried the victims to the hospital where the one who suffered a gunshot to the head is in the most serious condition, according to police.

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Investigators have not revealed the identity of the suspect or the motivation behind the shooting but gang violence seems to fit the description. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross said, "I can assure you it's about something stupid. But right now we've got a lot of unanswered questions." Philadelphia police are asking anyone with information regarding the shooting to call them immediately.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">MULTIPLE OFFICERS SHOT: Active shooter incident developing in Florence, South Carolina, emergency management agency says: &quot;We are advising everyone to stay away from this area.&quot;<a href="https://t.co/DEXPTxVfje">pic.twitter.com/DEXPTxVfje</a></p>&mdash; Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1047607528882917378?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2018</a></blockquote>

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Another mass shooting took place of a different sort in Florence County, South Carolina where five officers were shot and another is deceased. One suspect has been taken into custody for the mass shooting spree against police causing at least one of them to die. Around 6 p.m. on Facebook Florence County Emergency Management officials said the "active shooting situation is over" and the suspect is in custody.

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Chief Deputy Glenn Kirby of the Florence County Sheriff's Office shed some light on that situation and said the suspect surrendered to deputies after talking with a negotiator. The suspect is currently in the hospital for medical treatment. Kirby also added that another 20-year-old male was inside the home and was also shot but has survived so far. The deputy was killed around 4:55 p.m. in the area of Hoffmeyer Road near the Vintage Place neighborhood.

By 5:30, Kirby had confirmation that another three deputies had been shot in the same area and two City of Florence officers had also been shot. The scene was rapidly evolving and it was out of control for a time. Eventually, a negotiator talked the deadly killers into surrendering. A tweet from ATF HQ says that ATF Special Agents are on scene from the Charlotte Field Division.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: ATF Special Agents from the Charlotte Field Division are on the scene of the officer-involved shooting in Florence, SC. <a href="https://t.co/XyN6Nw7Db5">pic.twitter.com/XyN6Nw7Db5</a></p>&mdash; ATF HQ (@ATFHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/ATFHQ/status/1047615986088796162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2018</a></blockquote>

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South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster said on Twitter, "This is simply devastating news from Florence. The selfless acts of bravery from the men and women in law enforcement is real, just like the power of prayer is real. Peggy and I ask that you pray for them, pray for their recovery, pray for their families, and pray for all of Florence."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">My thoughts and prayers are with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office and the Florence Police Department tonight, in South Carolina. We are forever grateful for what our Law Enforcement Officers do 24/7/365. <a href="https://t.co/ZwDmDthItD">https://t.co/ZwDmDthItD</a></p>&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1047637712004636673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2018</a></blockquote>

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Source: https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Shooting-Germantown-Philadelphia-Gunman-Multiple-People-Shot-495075741.html?_osource=SocialFlowTwt_PHBrand https://www.wbtw.com/news/pee-dee/florence-county-deputy-shot-near-hoffmeyer-road-in-florence/1495532293