Multiple assailants opened fire in a popular area of ​​Philadelphia over the weekend, leaving 3 dead and 11 wounded. This is what we know

US records at least 9 shootings this weekend 1:01

(CNN) --

A night out on South Street in Philadelphia turned chaotic over the weekend when several gunmen opened fire on a crowd, leaving three dead and 11 wounded.

As the sound of gunfire faded Saturday night, the popular entertainment district was littered with shell casings.

"There were hundreds of people enjoying South Street, like they do every weekend, when this shooting broke out," said Philadelphia Police Inspector DF Pace.

This was just one of several shootings in the area on Saturday night, authorities said, and one of at least nine mass shootings in the US this weekend, CNN confirmed.

Authorities are now hunting for the attackers and a curfew has been put in place as officials try to quell any further violence.

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So far no one has been arrested and police are calling for witnesses, offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

Here's what we know about the shooting that broke out in an area of ​​the city known for its bars, restaurants, and shops.

• "Multiple active attackers" in a popular area of ​​​​Philadelphia kill 3 people and leave 11 injured

Philadelphia police investigators work at the scene of a fatal overnight shooting on South Street in Philadelphia, Sunday, June 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)

How the Philadelphia shooting unfolded

Police officers patrolling the area heard gunshots just after 11:30 pm and saw "several active attackers firing into the crowd," Pace said.

Officers "observed multiple civilians suffering from gunshot wounds, lying on the sidewalk and in the street," Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said at a news conference Sunday.

One of the officers who saw a man firing into the crowd drew his gun and "fired multiple times in the direction of the unknown male, we believe hit him," Outlaw said.

The man then dropped the gun on him, ran and was able to escape, authorities said.

Authorities believe the Philadelphia shooting began after a possible "physical altercation," Outlaw said.

"At this time we don't know if the altercation that occurred was between one group of people or if it was linked to another group or affiliation," he added.

Five guns were fired into the crowd, police said, and two handguns were recovered at the scene.

One of the guns police found had an extended magazine, according to Pace.

State and federal authorities are assisting Philadelphia police with the investigation, Outlaw said.

• The House Judiciary Committee passed gun control legislation in the wake of recent mass shootings

The victims of the shootings

The 14 people hit by the shots are between 17 and 69 years old.

Police identified those who died as Gregory Jackson, 34;

Alexis Quinn, 27;

and a 22-year-old man whose name has not yet been released.

One of the suspected attackers is believed to be among the three people killed, Outlaw said.

The other two victims are believed to be innocent bystanders.

One of the 11 people injured was in critical condition Sunday night, the police department said in a news release.

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Curfew and investigations: this is how the authorities respond

The shooting represents "a dark day for Philadelphia," the police commissioner said.

"While many of us were enjoying the beautiful day in the city, a horrendous and unthinkable act occurred at a popular local and tourist hangout."

There was an increased presence of uniformed officers on the streets of Philadelphia after the shooting, Outlaw said, due to several events scheduled in the city.

There were even more officers deployed Sunday night, authorities said.

"People shouldn't be afraid," Outlaw said Sunday.

"What happened last night was an outrage. But it's not something we see all the time. And again, I don't want us to normalize this. This is not normal in the city of Philadelphia and I don't want anyone to start thinking that it is." Outlaw said.

A curfew was in place in part of downtown Philadelphia from 8 p.m. Sunday to 6 a.m. Monday, the mayor's office said, citing "patterns of recent violence in the area and ongoing security concerns."

The order prohibits all pedestrian and vehicular traffic with exceptions only for residents, local property owners and employees, authorized medical personnel, members of the media and law enforcement.

"Once again, we see lives senselessly lost and injured in another horrendous, brazen and despicable act of gun violence," Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said Sunday, noting that the incident left him "not just heartbroken, but angry." .

"I will continue to fight to protect our communities and urge others to advocate for stronger laws that keep guns out of the hands of violent people," the mayor said.

The shooting in Philadelphia follows back-to-back mass shootings that have left communities across the country in mourning, including at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York;

an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and at a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

There have been at least 246 mass shootings in the US this year, according to the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive, which like CNN defines a mass shooting as one in which four or more people are shot, without include the attacker.

-- CNN's Aya Elamroussi, Andy Rose, Holly Yan and Samantha Beech contributed to this report.

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