On Sunday night, a man and his son were shot and killed in Philadelphia, one of several violent incidents that occurred over the Memorial Day weekend.
Relatives have identified the victims as Gerald “Jerry” Parks, 37, and Jamel Parks, 9 years old.
It occurred shortly after 10:30 p.m. in the Wissinoming section of Carver Street near Torresdale Avenue.
The father and son were still seated in their vehicle after returning from a barbeque. In a single night, Vanessa Frame lost her husband and son.
“I don’t understand how this can happen,” Frame told Action News on Monday morning.
“I was lying in bed with my daughter, and I heard a whole bunch of shots, and I’m like, ‘I don’t know if it’s firecrackers,'” she recalled.
“I came outside, and they were saying somebody was shot. So I went to see if it was his car- and it was. And he was just in there. Just lying there. “I grabbed my son, and he just was like- could clearly see he was gone,” Frame said.
Officers inspected bullet holes in the victims’ vehicle and spent shell casings found in the street. Additionally, two homes were struck by gunshots.
“The crime scene consists of at least 13 rounds from two separate caliber weapons, striking both victims multiple times,” according to Philadelphia Police Inspector D.F. Pace.
Pace continued, “The vehicle was struck multiple times as were two houses in the backdrop. And it appears after the shooters who began shooting at the vehicle as they were approaching it, they continued shooting at the vehicle as they were driving away.”
Officers in vehicles rushed the victims to local hospitals. Jerry Parks was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly after his arrival.
At Saint Christopher’s for Children, Jamel was also pronounced dead. The family has now established a GoFundMe page to assist with costs.
