Police said four gunmen emerged from a light-colored SUV and fired more than 50 shots before fleeing the scene.
PHILADELPHIA, PA — A 78-year-old man was killed and two other men were wounded Tuesday when four gunmen opened fire along a busy North Philadelphia street during the evening rush, authorities said.
Philadelphia police said the shooting happened about 4:45 p.m. Aug. 18 on the 2200 block of Ridge Avenue, near Cecil B. Moore Avenue. Officers responding to multiple 911 calls found three men suffering from gunshot wounds. All three were taken to Temple University Hospital, where the 78-year-old man was pronounced dead about 5:15 p.m. His name had not been publicly released as of early Wednesday.
The two surviving victims, ages 31 and 71, were listed in stable condition after initially being reported in critical condition, according to police. Chief Inspector Scott Small said the 78-year-old man had been shot in the back. The 71-year-old was also shot in the back, while the 31-year-old suffered several gunshot wounds. All three men had been standing on the sidewalk when the shooting began.
Investigators said surveillance cameras captured a silver or light-colored SUV traveling south on Ridge Avenue before stopping near the victims. Four people got out and began shooting, Small said. The gunmen then returned to the SUV and fled south on Ridge Avenue. Police said more than 50 shots were fired, and investigators recovered evidence from several different caliber weapons.
The barrage also damaged property along the block. Police said an unoccupied parked vehicle was struck, and gunfire hit a nearby business, shattering a glass door. Despite the number of rounds fired in the busy commercial area, authorities reported no additional injuries.
Investigators were reviewing video from city crime cameras and surveillance systems at businesses along Ridge Avenue. Small said police expected the cameras to provide multiple views of the shooting and the suspects’ vehicle. Authorities were searching for at least four suspects, and no arrests had been announced by early Wednesday.
Police were also examining a vehicle on nearby Cecil B. Moore Avenue after investigators noticed what appeared to be blood inside its back seat. Authorities had not publicly explained whether that vehicle was directly involved in the shooting, and its connection to the investigation had not been established.
FOX 29 reported that investigators believe the 31-year-old victim may have been the intended target, but police had not disclosed what evidence led them to that conclusion. Authorities also had not identified a motive. Small said investigators would examine whether the attack had any connection to other recent shootings in North Philadelphia, but no link had been established.
The shooting came as Philadelphia continues to confront gun violence across the city. Data maintained by the Philadelphia City Controller showed 347 nonfatal and 101 fatal shooting victims in the city through Aug. 18. The Ridge Avenue investigation remained active Wednesday as detectives worked to identify the gunmen, determine a motive and trace the SUV seen leaving the scene.
Author note: Last updated August 19, 2026.