Three shot near Welcome America festivity

Three teenagers were shot, one by Philadelphia police, blocks from the Welcome America celebration in Center City around 9:20 p.m. on Wednesday, authorities said.

Police grazed a 16-year-old male in the chest after he wounded at least one person, possibly two, then aimed his gun at officers near 17th and JFK Boulevard, police said.

"The officer saw him shoot the other person, and he ordered him to drop the gun," said City Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey. "He didn't, and [the officer] shot him."

Police believe that the 16-year-old moments earlier had fired on a 17-year-old male and struck him in the leg. They believe the alleged shooter next shot a 19-year-old man in the left leg.

All three were in stable condition late last evening, Ramsey said. The alleged shooter and the 17-year-old were taken to Hahnemann University Hospital, while the 19-year-old was taken to Jefferson Hospital, Ramsey said.

Police said that after the 16-year-old shot his first victim, that victim's friends chased him. Police approached the shooter and he claimed the culprit was someone else, according to a detective on the scene.

But then police saw him draw his gun again, the detective said, which is when they shot him.

The crowd thought the gunshots were firecrackers at first. Police closed off a four- to five-block area.

Ramsey said about 1,000 teenagers had gathered around Love Park, at 16th and JFK Boulevard, before the shooting. Someone set off an M80 firecracker, which scattered a lot of people, he said. The shooting occurred after that.