FIVE people have died and two children are wounded after a gunman wearing a bulletproof vest opened fire on the streets of Philadelphia.
Two boys, aged two and 13, were among the seven victims gunned down in the bloody rampage on Monday - just hours before Fourth of July celebrations.
The victims, who were shot over several city blocks, were apparently random and shared no immediate connections with the shooter.
Philadelphia Police have identified the suspect as a 40-year-old man, who continued to fire his gun as they chased him on foot through the southwestern neighborhood of Kingsessing.
The man was eventually cornered in an alleyway, where he was found wearing a bulletproof vest, with "multiple magazines" inside, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said during a press conference on Monday night.
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The suspect also had "a scanner and an AR-style rifle and a handgun underneath his body," she added.
Asked for the reason behind the brutal attack, Outlaw said: “At this point, all we know is that this person decided to leave their home and target individuals."
Outlaw confirmed that four of the victims were between the ages of 20 and 59.
A man has also been found dead at a home where seven rifle shells were discovered on a porch, per the Fox affiliate WTXF.
The two injured children were rushed to the hospital but remain in a stable condition.
The suspect was "apprehended and taken into custody" along with another person who allegedly fired back as the shooting unfolded.
One chilling photo from the scene show officers bagging up a large AR-style rifle.
Another shows a bike ridden by one of the young boys shot, lying on the side of the road.
The victims were reportedly taken to Penn Presbyterian Hospital and a juvenile to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Officials took the suspect in without firing any shots of their own, according to reports.
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Police are still investigating and have closed off 56th Street between Kingsessing and Chester Avenues.
Video taken at the scene show lights flashing on multiple cop cars that are pulled together to create a barrier.
