An attacker utilizing a military-style rifle killed five people and injured two children throughout a capturing spree in a Philadelphia neighborhood on Monday, firing photographs on the open road and bringing terror to passers-by earlier than being caught by the police. Officials mentioned they’re treating the capturing as a random assault.

The capturing was one among no less than 348 incidents throughout the nation this yr through which 4 or extra individuals had been injured or killed, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

Here’s what we all know, and don’t know, to date.

What occurred?

The assailant, wearing a ski masks and physique armor, opened fireplace within the Kingsessing neighborhood of southwest Philadelphia someday after 8 p.m. Monday, the authorities mentioned.

The capturing is believed to have begun at a house and moved to the road, the place the attacker fired a barrage of photographs at vehicles and other people within the neighborhood. One lady’s automotive was hit whereas she was driving her household house, injuring her kids.

The assault ended when the police chased the assailant into an alley and made an arrest.

The capturing, which unfolded on the eve of Independence Day, forged a shadow over celebrations and added to the nation’s growing apprehension over mass shootings, together with a lethal assault at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Ill., final yr.

Who had been the victims?

The 5 individuals killed in Philadelphia had been out working errands, had been on their method house from work or lived within the neighborhood. They ranged in age from 15 to 59.

The youngest, Dajuan Brown, 15, was a rising sophomore on the Jules E. Mastbaum High School, a profession and technical faculty in Philadelphia. He was staying at his grandmother’s home for the summer season.

The teenager “had his own little spice on his dancing,” mentioned his mom, Nyshyia Thomas, 34, who mentioned that her son’s dying can be particularly onerous on his siblings.

Ms. Thomas mentioned she was nonetheless processing that she would by no means once more see her “baby,” who had lifted the spirits of these round him. “You were sad around him, he wasn’t letting you be sad,” she mentioned.

Lashyd Merritt, 20, had been on his approach to the shop when he was shot and killed. He had just lately graduated from highschool and was working for the Internal Revenue Service, in response to his brother-in-law, Dominique Evans.

“He was a kind person,” Mr. Evans mentioned. “Very caring, smart.”

Dymir Stanton, 29, was “good with people,” mentioned Willa Mae Dill, an aunt who lives within the neighborhood and loved frequent visits along with her nephew. A sports activities fan, he had a girlfriend and a 4-year-old daughter.

Ralph Moralis, 59, who labored in eating places, was on his method house from work and had been chatting with a good friend moments earlier than gunfire broke out, mentioned the good friend, Omar Davis. “Good dude,” Mr. Davis mentioned. “He grew up in this community, everybody knows him.” Mr. Moralis had been scheduled to stroll a daughter down the aisle at her marriage ceremony this weekend, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Joseph Wamah, Jr., 31, who lived in the neighborhood, was additionally killed. Police have mentioned they imagine he was house alone on the time of the capturing and was maybe the primary sufferer.

Two kids, aged 2 and 13, had been hospitalized with accidents from the capturing and had been in steady situation.

Who is the suspect?

The suspect, Kimbrady Carriker, 40, was arraigned on Wednesday morning on greater than 30 counts, together with homicide, tried homicide, assault and reckless endangerment.

There was some confusion initially about Mr. Carriker’s gender id, and in a news convention on Tuesday, authorities used the pronouns “they/them” to explain him. But on Wednesday, officers from the district lawyer’s workplace mentioned they’d no info indicating that the suspect thought of himself something however male.

Mr. Carriker appeared in a courtroom on Wednesday by way of video. He was represented by a public defender, and supplied one-word solutions from a chair within the nook of a cinder-block room, his arms tightly crossed throughout a white jumpsuit. He was ordered held with out bond on the homicide prices, and a listening to was set for July 24.

The authorities have launched few particulars a couple of attainable motive.

The district lawyer, Larry Krasner, mentioned the capturing had “the characteristics of a lot of random mass shootings that occur in the United States.” He added: “This does not appear to be a whole bunch of people who knew each other very well.”

Amy Harmon, Jon Hurdle, Campbell Robertson and Joel Wolfram contributed reporting