Apparent narcotics debt leads to shooting that injures 7-month-old baby: officials
PHILADELPHIA - A woman is in custody after shooting at a couple, but striking their baby over what police say may have been a narcotics debt.
The shooting happened Thursday night, around 6 p.m., on the 4000 block of Meridian Street, in Philly’s Holmesburg neighborhood.
The woman, identified as 28-year-old Dominique Billips, walked up to a man and a woman, outside with their baby in a stroller, and began firing.
Suspect in custody, sources say, after Philly police release video showing suspect open fire on family
Disturbing new video shows the moment a woman walked up to a family on a Philadelphia sidewalk and began shooting at close range. The shooting left a 7-month-old baby boy injured. Multiple sources say a suspect is in custody.
In a Saturday press conference, Lieutenant Dennis Rosenbaum, with the Philadelphia Police Shooting Investigations Group, indicated preliminary information police received pointed to a $100 narcotics debt as a motive for the shooting and the preliminary target appeared to be the father of the baby.
"You see in that video, she really points the gun at the mother of the baby, who’s also a juvenile, and fires. Luckily, she missed," Lt. Rosenbaum explains the dramatic surveillance video police released Friday. "Obviously, that’s when the baby got hit. A 7-month-old baby isn’t going to remember that, but it’s always going to be out there. That story’s always going to be out there."
He went on to add the neighbors nearby when the shooting took place and drove the baby to the hospital were very upset. He said it’s a neighborhood not known for violence.
Police say when they arrived on the scene Thursday night, a neighbor had taken the infant to Nazareth Hospital. He was later transported to Jefferson Torresdale where he was treated for a gunshot wound to the leg.
7-month-old baby injured after shooting; police believe bullets meant for parents
Philadelphia police are investigating a shooting in Holmesburg that injured a 7-month-old baby.
The parents weren’t at either hospital, according to police, and were later found unharmed a few blocks away from the shooting scene.
Lt. Rosenbaum addressed the parents delayed reaction to their baby’s shooting, saying they had outstanding warrants for non-violent incidents and were afraid they would be arrested. He added they returned to their home and called police.
Billips has been charged with aggravated assault and other related charges. She was taken into custody without incident at Van Kirk Street and Loretto Avenue, in Philly's Oxford Circle neighborhood, Friday evening.
Lt. Rosenbaum did thank the public for cooperation in witness statements and in obtaining surveillance video in order to find the suspect so quickly.
Special Victims Unit and Department of Human Services were conducting an investigation, as well.