After a recent mass shooting in Philadelphia, Archbishop Nelson Perez of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia expressed his sorrow and condolences on Twitter.

The devastating incident claimed the lives of five individuals and wounded several others.

“I issued a statement regarding the July 3 mass shooting in the Kingsessing neighborhood of Philadelphia,” Perez tweeted. “Five innocent people were killed and others, including young children, were injured. This violence is senseless, tragic, and unnecessary.” 

The alleged gunman, 40-year-old Kimbrady Carriker, has been charged with 11 offenses, including murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, and more, ABC 6 reported.

"We all share a responsibility to show love for our neighbors, and treat them with dignity and respect," Perez said in his statement, published by Catholic Philly. "At this moment of deep pain and mourning, I ask all people of goodwill to pray for the souls of the victims of the Kingsessing neighborhood shooting and that God will bring strength to all those coping with voids that cannot be filled. May the Lord pour His mercy upon them and hold them in His loving embrace. May He embolden and strengthen all of us to build and defend a culture of love and respect for all of our brothers and sisters.” 

Carriker has undergone his initial court hearing, in which he was arraigned on charges of murder, attempted murder, assault, reckless endangerment and weapons charges, CNN reported. The victims killed in the shooting ranged in age from 15 to 59 years old, with some injured victims as young as two years old. 

Carriker had a prior gun conviction and had previously expressed thoughts about the "loss of freedoms" on his Facebook account. During the incident, he was found to have an AR-style rifle, a 9 mm handgun, and other paraphernalia, CNN reported.

Carriker had been exhibiting “abnormal behavior for quite a while,” investigators said at a news conference. Some people who lived in the same house “thought he was getting more and more agitated as the days were passing,” Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney Joanne Pescatore said at the conference, CNN reported.