Three dead, nine injured in mass shooting in Philadelphia’s Grays Ferry; Police hunt for three duspects

 

By Sagaya Fernando | July 8, 2025

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA – A mass shooting in Philadelphia’s Grays Ferry neighborhood in the early hours of Monday 7 July 2025 has left three people dead and nine others wounded, in what police describe as one of the city’s deadliest incidents over the Fourth of July weekend.

The gunfire erupted shortly before 1 am on the 1500 block of South 27th Street. According to Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel, officers were nearby responding to a separate incident when they heard the shots and rushed to the scene.

The victims include three young men who succumbed to their injuries: Zahir Wylie, 23, was shot in the chest and pronounced dead at 1:30 am. Jason Reese, 19, was shot in the head and declared dead a minute later. Azir Harris, 24, suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the back and died at 2:16 am.

Nine others sustained various injuries: A 21-year-old man was shot in the buttocks and ankle.  A 17-year-old male was struck in the left arm. A 24-year-old man and two 19-year-old males were all shot in the left arm. A 23-year-old woman sustained injuries to the left elbow, left thigh, and right calf. A 15-year-old girl was wounded, though the exact location of the injury remains unknown. Another 17-year-old male was shot in the left arm. An 18-year-old male was also wounded, with the location of his injury still under investigation. A 19-year-old man was critically injured after being shot twice in the head. He was initially taken to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and later transferred to the University of Pennsylvania Hospital.

Additionally, one individual, though not shot, suffered injuries from falling while fleeing the scene.

Police say at least eight victims were transported to hospital by officers themselves. The remaining were taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Surveillance footage from a nearby Ring camera captured images of three suspects, who remain at large. Late Monday night, Philadelphia Police released the footage in hopes of identifying the individuals.

A firearm was recovered from one person taken into custody; however, their involvement in the shooting remains under investigation.

Investigators recovered nearly 140 pieces of ballistic evidence from the scene. Police believe at least one weapon may have been modified with an illegal “switch,” converting it into a fully automatic firearm. Commissioner Bethel indicated there may have been an exchange of gunfire and noted that around 40 individuals were present during the incident.

The shooting took place in an area already under heightened police attention following earlier disturbances over the weekend. On Saturday night, officers made arrests on the same block, and returned on Sunday following complaints about loud music.

"This was a volatile situation, and we were already monitoring the area," said Commissioner Bethel. "But despite our efforts, tragedy unfolded."

The incident marks a violent end to the Fourth of July weekend in Philadelphia. In separate shootings, eight people were injured at a South Philadelphia nightclub, and four more were shot early Monday morning on Vine Street in West Philadelphia.

Despite the weekend’s violence, Commissioner Bethel emphasized progress in reducing overall crime, reporting a 12% decrease in homicides and a 10% drop in shootings compared to last year. He also highlighted a 95% clearance rate for homicides and a 36% clearance rate for shooting cases.

South Philadelphia has recorded the fewest shootings citywide in 2025. However, the two mass shootings over the weekend now account for half of the area’s total gun violence this year.

Community leaders expressed heartbreak and concern. Rickey Duncan of the NOMO Foundation, who knew several of the victims personally, called the violence “a wake-up call.”

“We still have work to do,” Duncan said. “It hurts me to see the future of Philadelphia end soon and end early.”

Just around the corner from the shooting scene, the Young Chances Foundation was due to begin its 13th annual youth summer camp on Monday 7 July morning. Instead, its founder, Tyrique Glasgow, spent the day consoling grieving neighbors.

“It hurt me this morning, and I was frustrated,” Glasgow said. “My tears don’t come from the pain—it comes from letting the kids down. It’s just sad that this is sometimes the highlight of what they see when they’re waking up.”

Authorities urge anyone with information about the shooting or the suspects to come forward.