Six people are injured in a shooting outside a Brighton Heights funeral home in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh police said six people were shot just after noon Friday outside a Brighton Heights church where a funeral was being held for a man shot and killed earlier this month on the North Side.

Five people are being treated for gunshot wounds at Allegheny General Hospital, including one person who was initially listed in critical condition. All are listed in stable condition as of Friday evening. A sixth person was taken to UPMC Children’s Hospital after the shooting, which Acting Police Chief Thomas Stengreki called a “horrific incident.”

“We are doing everything possible to identify those responsible for this shooting and bring them to justice,” Stangretsky said during a press conference held in the afternoon near the church.

Also speaking outside the church, Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey urged residents with information about the shooting to cooperate with the investigation.

“We have to make sure this never happens again, and we’re going to work around the clock to do whatever it takes to apprehend whoever did this heinous thing today,” Gainey said.

Gainey, raising his voice with emotion, condemned the shooters who “[shot] on holy ground” and acknowledged the anger and pain they have caused the families and loved ones of those injured. But he urged people with information about the shooters to share it with investigators rather than take matters into their own hands.

“I know a lot of family and friends are hurting right now. A lot of them feel like they have to do something. I want to do something with you,” the mayor said. “Today they shot the shrine… [But] going out there and getting revenge doesn’t make anything better. We want you to be alive. If you know something, come forward and say something.

“We need you. We need you today, we must make sure that this never happens again,” he added. “Please do not take revenge. Communicate.”

A former member of the state House of Representatives, Gainey also urged state lawmakers to pass stricter gun regulations.

“When we get tough on guns, we get tough on crime. Help us get these guns off the streets,” he urged lawmakers in Harrisburg.

A memorial service was held at Destiny of Faith Church for 20-year-old John Gornezis, who was one of three people killed on Saturday, October 15 in shooting at Sunoco Gas station on Cedar Avenue in Deutschtown. Police identified the two other women killed in the shooting as innocent victims and said earlier this week that Hornez was the likely target. No one was detained as a result of the shooting.

Police Chief Richard Ford, who oversees the Major Crimes Unit, said multiple gunmen opened fire on Destiny of Faith on Friday, and police had reason to believe several people attending the funeral were targeted. He did not comment on possible motives or suspects.

Police from the city, Allegheny County and Pittsburgh Regional Transit and Allegheny County Sheriff’s deputies rushed to the area and nearby Allegheny General Hospital after reports of a shooting at the church.

Police also obtained a video of the incident. Ford said they will maintain a strong presence in the neighborhood.

Pittsburgh Public Schools was scheduled for a half-day of classes Friday when the shooting began. Police later warned schools that it was safe to dismiss students.

Earlier, the agency advised the population to avoid this area. Brighton Road was closed between Terman and Benton avenues for several hours.

In addition to the “Fate of Faith” church, art 3700 block Brighton Road includes a high-rise for the elderly, a Rite-Aid pharmacy and several homes.

Reverend Dr. Brenda J. Gregg, senior pastor of Destiny of Faith, said she was in the pulpit of the church while attending the funeral. According to her, from where she was standing in the church when the shooting began, it was difficult to tell whether the shots were coming from the street or from inside the sanctuary.

“It was one of the most devastating days of my life,” said Gregg, a pastor for more than 30 years. “I’m very thankful to God that we didn’t lose anyone.”

Gregg also thanked first responders and hospital workers who tended to the injured worshipers, and asked for prayers for members of her congregation. She also promised that the church would reopen on Saturday for a planned harvest festival and on Sunday for a planned service.

“It’s a scene that doesn’t make sense to any of us. We have to turn this thing around,” she said. “We are here [in the community] to help. We are not going to close the door. We are here to help.”

The shooting at Destiny of Faith came a day after Pittsburgh residents gathered to honor the 11 people who were killed and to honor the six people who were wounded and those who helped four years ago when an anti-Semitic gunman broke into the services on the Tree of Life. Synagogue in the Squire Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh.

Cindy Lash also contributed to this report.