In front of as many as 200 people in West Philadelphia's Mantua neighborhood, Miles Mack, who had just wrapped up the fifth season of his X-Tra Miles Developmental Basketball League, and Darren Hankins were struck dead. Four others were wounded as the gunmen unleashed at least 15 shots Thursday night at the McAlpin Playground at 36th and Aspen Streets.

"I saw the two dudes. Blue. I remember seeing blue. Dark hoodies," said Murphy Appin, 44, who helped Mack with the league he had founded as a summer outlet in a high-risk community. "It happened so fast. After they shot the boy, they started running. Everybody started getting off the ground, and that's when we realized everyone couldn't get off the ground."

Mack, of the 3400 block of Spring Garden Street, was struck in the buttocks; the bullet hit an artery.

Hankins, of the 4700 block of North 11th Street, was struck repeatedly by bullets, with witnesses saying the gunmen stood over him and fired relentlessly even after he hit the ground.

Police said yesterday that they had no suspects, no motive, and, with the all-too-familiar code of the street, little information from witnesses.

Deputy Police Commissioner Richard Ross, in a news conference, decried the "vicious and cowardly attack." Added Homicide Capt. James Clark: "It's beyond brazen. They were showing no regard for anyone. Those bullets had no names."

Homicide Lt. Philip Riehl blamed the no-snitch culture for making "people more concerned about being stigmatized than they are about the safety of their children at a basketball game.

"Here's a guy who got involved and helped the community, and started a league where anyone could play, regardless of their background. Now, the people he helped mentor and coach need to step up and help find the people who did this to him."

Police identified those wounded as Douglas Mathis, 20, of the 3000 block of Girard Avenue, a player shot in the back; Derrick Segers, 45, of the 3800 block of Polansky Street, a league volunteer shot in the buttocks and a leg; Terrell Spencer, 23, of the 2300 block of West Segley Street, a spectator shot in a leg and the back; and Mikal Hanton, 18, of the 3900 block of Mount Vernon Street, a spectator shot in a finger.

Spencer and Segers, in interviews from their beds at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, said bedlam broke out immediately after the shooting.

"I don't know what happened. I was running," Spencer said.

Said Segers: "There was no verbal confrontation or any type of argument. They just used their bullets to speak."

Witnesses were unable to say in which direction the gunmen fled as police and medics rushed to the scene.

Court records show Hankins had some scrapes with the law. Police said those incidents did not appear to be connected with the shooting, but had not ruled out a connection.

Law enforcement sources said Hankins was arrested in 2006 as a juvenile and charged with aggravated assault and conspiracy, accused with a group of others of beating up a high school student, breaking his jaw in two places.

The incident apparently was part of a series of fights and retaliations among several groups of young neighborhood males, authorities said. The outcome of that case could not be determined.

On April 9, Hankins was arrested and charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana with a street value of $20. At the time of his arrest, records show, he was patted down during a weapons stop at Judson and Diamond Streets in North Philadelphia.

Hankins was released on his own recognizance. The case had been scheduled for trial yesterday.

On May 19, Hankins was arrested with three others and charged with loitering, disorderly conduct, and failure to disperse.

He pleaded no contest to the charges, and was sentenced to perform 24 hours of community service and pay $77 in court costs. He completed the sentence and the case was closed on July 1.

One of his neighbors, David Morris, 70, said the teen was polite and well-spoken. Another neighbor, Jevon Williams, said Hankins had a "houseful" of trophies for his basketball prowess.

Recreation Commissioner Susan Slawson, a former police lieutenant, said the shooting shattered what had been "a very calm, peaceful league."

She said that police patrol and visit recreation centers, that lighting had been improved, and that full names and birth certificates are required for all those who participate in leagues.

But, she added, "random shootings, they happen. You don't know when, you don't know why."

Appin - who had been assisting Mack during the closing ceremonies - was still shaken yesterday as he stood near the crime scene.

There, about a dozen chalk circles marked where shell casings - from 9mm and .40-caliber handguns - were found and where the deceased had fallen.

Other men gathered to grieve and comfort each other.

"Someone brought this war to this neighborhood," Appin said. "They had plans to kill that boy. Miles caught the stray bullet. This guy did nothing wrong, nothing bad. They killed a good man."

Anyone with information about the crime or gunmen is being asked to contact homicide detectives at 215-686-3334.

Contributing to this report were staff writers Joseph A. Slobodzian, Peter Mucha, Robert Moran and Jeff Shields.