A 12-year-old boy and 2 men were killed in triple shooting in East Germantown

A 12-year-old boy said to be celebrating his birthday and two men were killed in a triple shooting Thursday afternoon in the city’s East Germantown section, police said.

Just after 2 p.m., police responded to a reported shooting on the 700 block of East Locust Avenue and found the boy and two men with gunshot wounds. The victims were taken to Einstein Medical Center, where they all were pronounced dead.

Police reported no arrests, but said they found multiple spent shell casings, apparently from a rifle.

On Thursday evening, the neighborhood was quiet. A Spider Man-themed “Happy Birthday” sign was still strung from one porch railing on Crowson Street next to the shooting scene on Locust. A teddy bear lay on the sidewalk. Parents and children walked to their cars.

Residents, with the pain of losing neighbors too fresh, largely declined to speak about what happened. Some people sat on their porches in silence. By 5 p.m., police were gone, leaving behind only remnants of crime-scene tape.

Chantay Love, a community activist who was at the scene speaking with families, said the boy was supposed to be celebrating his 12th birthday Thursday.

“A family hurt, a block hurt, a whole community devastated. The people that live here, this is heartbreaking, because when you live in a place that’s dangerous, you got to have a place where there’s peace. Where?” Love, president and cofounder of Every Murder is Real Healing Center, said in an email Thursday night.

Mayor Kenney posted a statement on Twitter decrying the triple homicide.

“Devastated to learn of the tragic killing of three people, including a 12-year-old child. No one should have their life and potential cut short by violence. Our communities deserve better. This senseless violence must stop,” Kenney said.

“The city is focused on addressing both the long-term and immediate causes of gun violence, but due to the ease of access to firearms in this country, we are fighting an uphill battle. Legislators must do more to protect residents from the unfettered flow of guns,” he said.

Kenney asked anyone with information helpful to the police investigation to report it to 215-686-TIPS.

On Saturday night, a 4-year-old boy was wounded in a quintuple shooting in South Philadelphia.

According to Inquirer data, more than 100 people under 18 have been shot so far this year in Philadelphia, 18 of whom were killed in homicides.

Including Thursday’s shooting, 14 children age 12 or younger have been shot so far this year. At least six of them were struck by stray bullets, while the others were shot accidentally, often by other children mishandling unattended guns, according to an Inquirer analysis.

Among those juveniles killed this year: Devon Weedon, 15, a star football player; Neko Rivera, 15, a loving older brother; Jaseem Thomas, 16, who in his death donated his organs to save five lives; and Salaah Fleming, 14, an eighth grader from North Philly.

Less than two hours before the triple homicide Thursday, a 68-year-old woman was fatally wounded in a shooting in Tioga that left two men wounded.

That shooting happened in the area of 21st Street and West Venango Avenue about 12:30 p.m., police said.

The woman, who was shot in the neck, was taken by private vehicle to Temple University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 12:40 p.m..

A 40-year-old man shot in his chin arrived at Temple in the same vehicle and was listed in critical condition, police said.

A 37-year-old man shot in his left hand also arrived at the hospital in that vehicle and was listed in stable condition.

Police reported no arrests in that case.