Police said more than 40 shots were fired during an apparent shootout as the woman sat outside her North Philadelphia home.
PHILADELPHIA, PA — An 83-year-old woman was wounded by stray gunfire Wednesday evening while sitting outside her North Philadelphia home as dozens of shots were fired during what police believe may have been a shootout.
The shooting happened Sept. 30 on the 2300 block of North Gratz Street, near Dauphin Street. Police said the woman was struck twice in the torso. Officers took her to Temple University Hospital, where she was listed in stable condition. No other injuries were immediately reported.
Chief Inspector Scott Small said investigators recovered more than 40 spent shell casings at the scene. Police believe the gunfire came from two different weapons, and investigators were reviewing surveillance footage that captured the incident. Authorities had not announced any arrests as of the latest reports.
Surveillance video reviewed by investigators showed a blue sedan traveling east on Dauphin Street before stopping near Gratz Street, according to police. A man got out of the vehicle and fired multiple shots in a northbound direction before getting back into the car. Police said the blue sedan had been reported stolen earlier Wednesday.
Investigators were still working to determine who the gunman was firing at and what led to the shooting. Police said the evidence indicated gunfire came from more than one weapon, leading investigators to preliminarily consider whether two people or groups were exchanging shots.
Officers also found another vehicle on Gratz Street that had been struck multiple times by gunfire. The vehicle had gone over a curb and crashed into a utility pole, causing the pole to fall onto the car. Police said its engine was still running when officers reached the scene, but no one was inside.
A firearm was visible inside the abandoned vehicle, police said. Investigators were examining that vehicle, the weapon, spent shell casings and surveillance footage as they worked to reconstruct the shooting and determine who was involved.
The gunfire left a crime scene extending along much of the block between Dauphin and York streets. The woman, who police said was not believed to have been involved in the dispute, was outside her home when she was caught in the gunfire.
The stolen blue sedan was last seen fleeing east on Dauphin Street toward 18th Street, according to police. Investigators had not publicly identified a suspect or announced a motive, and the circumstances that triggered the gunfire remained under investigation.
Police continued to seek information about the shooting while detectives reviewed video and physical evidence from the scene. The 83-year-old woman’s condition was reported as stable in the latest available updates, and no arrests had been announced.
Author note: Last updated Oct. 2, 2026.