11-year-old boy robbed after teens threaten to shoot him in Philly’s Chinatown

A group of teenagers robbed an 11-year-old boy of his iPhone and hundreds of dollars following threats of gun violence in Philadelphia’s Chinatown on Monday.

What happened: The victim was inside a boba tea shop in the 100 block of North 10th St. at around 3:30 p.m. when the suspects allegedly approached him, telling him to “play it cool” and walk outside with them. The robbery occurred later in an alley off the 900 block of Cherry St., where the victim lost his iPhone and roughly $300 in cash.

Speaking to NBC 10, a witness who contacted authorities said the boy fled to a hair salon seeking help after his attackers warned, “If you don’t give us your phone, your money, we are going to shoot you.” The witness believes the suspects had followed the victim immediately after school dismissal.

Community in shock: The incident has shocked community members who now fear children being targeted. “Eleven-year-old, that’s crazy. I never thought it would get to a time they are robbing 11-year-olds,” East Falls resident Quanjay Murray told WPVI. Earlier that day, local worker Ada Cun described another frightened child seeking refuge in her store, claiming near-robbery and overhearing shooting threats. However, only one official robbery report was made on Monday.

Investigation into the incident continues.