19-year-old shot on Philly SEPTA train platform, police search for suspect

Philadelphia police are searching for a suspect that shot a 19-year-old in the stomach on a Center City SEPTA subway platform on Monday night, leaving the victim in critical condition, according to KYW.

Authorities say the victim was shot in the stomach by a suspect wearing a ski mask on a SEPTA transit platform at 15th Street Station around 11:30 pm, the outlet reports.



The victim was transported to Jefferson University Hospital and listed in critical condition, while the unidentified suspect remains at large.


Courtesy: Septa Transit Police

SEPTA transit police warned about the city's increase in violence and said there have been nine shootings on transit property so far this year, in which three people have been killed, according to officials.

Randy Mills, a 15-year-old boy, was shot and killed last week on Germantown Ave while riding the Route 23 bus, the outlet reports. Police have not yet identified the suspect who shot and killed Mills.
 

Septa's Police Chief Chuck Lawson said the department is working with the city to develop new strategies to combat the increase in violence on transit, such as enforcing the ban on people wearing ski masks.

"Those face masks are prohibited on SEPTA property," Chief Lawson said after last week's shooting. "You come on SEPTA property wearing your shiesty, you will be engaged by police ... You got two choices, remove it, or we escort you off the property."

Witnesses told CBS News that there was a large group of kids behaving "recklessly" on the platform at the time of the shooting.

"Probably about 20-25 kids," the witness said. "They all were hating on each other, they were arguing, then a girl wanted to throw hands with a guy, and they had to scare a lot of the young women, and then they pulled out a gun and shot a man."

Police are asking anyone with information to call police at 215-686-8477.