The incident unfolded around 2:42 p.m. when a man, identified as Seay, entered the crowd armed with a handgun during the altercation.

Mayor Cherelle Parker and Commissioner Bethel attended a memorial event honoring fallen officers earlier that day, highlighting the risks faced by police officers.

Seay attempted to flee the scene but was apprehended shortly thereafter, with a Ruger handgun recovered by police.

The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office Victim Services Unit is providing support to the injured officer and the community as the investigation unfolds.

A 26-year-old Philadelphia police officer is in critical condition after being shot in the stomach while responding to a fight outside Overbrook High School on May 7, 2025.

Eyewitness video captured the chaotic scene, showing a crowd fleeing after hearing a loud popping sound, which was the gunfire.

No other officers discharged their weapons during the event, according to Commissioner Bethel.

Seay has a prior criminal record that includes aggravated assault and retail theft, and he is believed to have connections to the individuals involved in the fights.

As the investigation continues, members of the Community Crisis Intervention Program are canvassing the area, and Mayor Parker has urged the public to provide any information to the police.

In response to the shooting, Overbrook High School canceled all after-school programming and increased security measures, including the presence of additional police officers.

This incident is reminiscent of a 2013 shooting near the same school that resulted in the death of a student, raising ongoing concerns about violence in the area.

Council Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson expressed her sadness and anger over the shooting, emphasizing the need to combat violence in neighborhoods.