Police: 19-Year-Old Yaniyah Foster Dies After Shot In Head In North Philadelphia Quadruple Shooting

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    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — Police have identified the 19-year-old woman who was fatally shot during a quadruple shooting in North Philadelphia. Officials say Yaniyah Foster was one of four people shot at 11th and Thompson Streets, shortly after 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Police say two people are in custody.

Foster suffered a gunshot wound to the head. She was transported to Temple University Hospital where she later succumbed to her injuries.

Foster’s family says she was taken from them too soon. She recently graduated from Ben Franklin High School and had big dreams to start a career.

They were too emotional to talk on camera but they spoke to a local lawmaker.

“I am sick and tired of sitting with families who are changed for the rest of their lives,” state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta said.

Kenyatta went door-to-door Thursday morning to hand out crime prevention pamphlets to neighbors.

Police say the victims were sitting outside on steps when multiple people with guns ran up to them and started firing. Police received reports of up to 20 shots fired.

A 25-year-old man was also shot in the head and is in critical condition at this time.

A 23-year-old man was shot in the left leg and a 25-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound to the right arm. They are both in stable condition.

The male victims were also taken to Temple Hospital.

“The female that was shot here was transported to Temple by police officers. In the immediate aftermath of that, three other individuals arrived at Temple hospital with gunshot wounds,” Philadelphia Police Staff Inspector Sekou Kinebrew said.

The Temple emergency room went into lockdown, as police searched the vehicle the victims arrived in for evidence.

The shooting occurred just after St. Malachy Catholic School dismissed for the day. Fortunately, no students were injured. One of the bullets struck the back of a windshield.

One resident described hearing rapid gunfire.

“It’s crazy,” the man said. “It’s not even safe to walk the streets with people shooting guns.”

“Too many guns, too many people willing to use them. At the end of the day, police can’t stop,” Philadelphia City Council President Darrell Clarke said.

Like Clarke, neighbors are hoping the community comes together to bring an end to the violence.

“I grew up with family. People who care about people,” a neighbor said. “We don’t have that anymore. That’s why the youth is just running amok and running wild. Change comes from within. You got to change yourself.”

This wasn’t the first time a shooting happened near the school.

Back in 2017, there was another quadruple shooting that broke out a block away at 11th and Stiles Streets, also around 3:30 p.m. Three people were left dead, but no kids were injured.

But in Wednesday’s shooting, Kenyatta says Foster was an innocent victim.

“She had her whole life ahead of her and the fact it was taken away in an instant is unacceptable,” Kenyatta said.

There is no motive yet for the shooting.

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