PHILADELPHIA –  A 15-year-old boy is recovering after being shot twice in the leg outside his South Philadelphia home.

Police investigation into the shooting

What we know:

The victim was outside with his two 18-year-old uncles, filming TikTok videos and waiting for his godmother, according to his family, early Monday morning on Woodstock Street before 1:00 a.m. 

Philadelphia police are investigating who fired the shots and why. They found six shell casings on Woodstock Street, and another home had a window hit by a bullet. The police believe a car drove off from the scene but do not think anyone fired from inside the car.

The boy’s family

Tiana Smith, the boy’s mother, shared that her son is stable and still in good spirits despite the situation. He underwent a successful three hour surgery on Monday afternoon, and they are hoping and praying he will be able to walk again.

“He still has his humor, he’s still laughing, but he can’t believe he was shot,” said Smith. “He keeps saying, ‘I can’t believe I got shot.”

His godmother, Iyonnah West, expressed disbelief over the incident, saying, “They were just dancing, it’s just kids dancing…it doesn’t make no sense.”

Smith mentioned that her son was born with Blount’s disease, which caused his legs to bow. He recently recovered from two major surgeries to correct the condition. 

“It was six to nine months recovery for one leg, heal up, and go get it done for the next leg and we just got done, so he didn’t even get to use his legs yet,” she says.

Smith described her son as an indoor kid who enjoys anime and gaming. He is currently being homeschooled.

What we don’t know:

The identity of the shooter and the motive behind the shooting remain unknown. 

Police are still searching for surveillance video to aid in the investigation.

The Source:  Information from the Philadelphia Police Department and the 15-year-old boy’s family.

Crime & Public SafetyNews