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Crime & Safety

UPDATE: Police Searching for Suspect Who Shot Two Teens Monday Night in Norristown

Police say the victims of the shooting have not identified their attacker.

UPDATE: [11/13/12; 2:45 p.m.] Norristown Police Chief Russell Bono said that police are continuing to investigate the shooting at Chain and West Oak streets Monday evening that sent two teens – an 18-year-old and a 16-year-old – to a Philadelphia-area hospital for treatment of gunshot wounds.

"We had two teenagers shot, both in the buttocks," said Chief Bono. "They were both flown out to hospitals in Philadelphia. Everything I've gotten so far says that the injuries are not life threatening injuries."

Police have questioned the victims, but say they are not cooperating with the investigation.

Find out what's happening in Norristownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We believe they know who the assailant was," said Chief Bono. "But they, so far, have refused to identify him or them."

Police are currently searching for witnesses they believe may have information about the shooting.

Find out what's happening in Norristownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I guarantee you people know who the shooter is," said Chief Bono. "They make it very difficult, rather than just coming out and telling us who it is so we can go arrest them and get them off the street. My fear is that there will now be retaliation."

"It's been a problem in Norristown for years – lack of cooperation," Chief Bono continued. "We've worked very hard as a police department to try to gain cooperation and work with the community. These kids today are just of a different mindset."

Chief Bono said that currently, police have very little evidence to work from in the investigation. An earlier report that rounds were recovered from the scene were incorrect. Witnesses reported hearing five or six shots at the time of the incident, but no shell casings were recovered from the scene last night. Police had hoped to find more evidence in the daylight as the investigation continues.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Norristown Police Department at 610-270-0977.

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UPDATE: [11/13/12; 12:20 a.m.] According to The Times Herald, the two victims in Monday night's shooting at Chain and West Oak streets – an 18-year-old and a 16-year-old – were "known to police" for alleged prior incidents. The two were reportedly shot in the buttocks and their injuries are not believed to be life threatening, according to Norristown Police Chief Russell Bono. The two victims are reportedly not cooperating with police.

According to the Herald, Chief Bono described the suspect in the shooting as a black male wearing blue jeans and a gray hooded sweatshirt.

Authorities reportedly recovered multiple rounds form a semi-automatic weapon at the scene. 

Norristown Patch will update this story as more information becomes available.

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UPDATE: [11/12/12; 8:45 p.m.] Police have confirmed that one adult and one juvenile have been injured in a shooting at Chain and West Oak Streets Monday night. Authorities are not releasing their identities at this time. Police say neither injury was life threatening to the victims.

Police and evidence technicians continue to scour the scene, which has been closed to traffic and cordoned off. Neighbors are lining the streets and tensions seem high. Police are still interviewing witnesses. No suspects have been identified.

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UPDATE: [11/12/12; 8:22 p.m.] Authorities have cordoned off the area of West Oak Street at Chain Street in Norristown following a reported double-shooting on Monday night.

Reports from Breaking News Network indicated that two people had suffered multiple gunshot wounds on the 600 block of Chain St. and that two medical helicopters had been requested to the area.

The shooting was reported to 9-1-1 at about 7:12 p.m., according to an incident status page operated by the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety.

A reporter who visited the scene at about 8 p.m. observed a large crowd gathered outside the police cordon, some of them visibly upset.

We'll update this story with additional information when it's available.

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