Suspect in deadly shooting of off-duty Philly officer has spoken to investigators, turned over gun: DA
PHILADELPHIA - Authorities in Philadelphia shared new information about the deadly shooting of off-duty police officer Alhassane Barry.
District Attorney Larry Krasner also warned about illegal speakeasies in the city, like the one where the shooting unfolded.
Alhassane Barry shot and killed
The backstory:
The shooting happened after 3 a.m. Sunday morning outside an after-hours lounge on the 7200 block of Elmwood Avenue.
Officer Alhassane Barry, 29, was struck by gunfire and later succumbed to his injuries. An unidentified 35-year-old male was also struck and taken to the hospital in critical condition.
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Off-duty Philadelphia police officer killed after double shooting outside lounge
A 29-year-old off-duty Philadelphia police officer has died after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds during an early morning double shooting.
Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said evidence showed the suspect and victims inside the lounge prior to the shooting. During that time, all three exchanged words, and that verbal altercation continued as all three men moved outside.
The altercation then turned physical, but all parties were quickly separated before the suspect opened fire, striking both victims.
Suspect has spoken to police
The other side:
District Attorney Larry Krasner on Thursday revealed that police have spoken with the suspected shooter and have the weapon believed to have been used in the deadly shooting.
"The shooter does not dispute that he had the gun, which he provided through his council, he does not dispute that he fired the gun" Krasner said. "He has described his version of what happened at that time, some of which requires additional investigation."
Krasner said the gun surrendered to police is being tested to confirm that it was the firearm used in the deadly shooting, adding that those results should come within the next two months.
Off-duty Philadelphia officer buried as new suspect images are released
Off-duty Philadelphia police officer Alhassane Barry was laid to rest on Monday following his death in a Sunday morning double shooting outside an after-hours lounge. Authorities have released new images of a person of interest as they seek to identify the suspect connected to the murder.
Police previously shared surveillance video of a suspect sought in connection to the shooting who was observed walking towards the lounge moments before the shooting, and running away immediately after.
Krasner mentioned that security footage from outside the building that captures part of the deadly incident does not paint the whole picture of what happened.
Crackdown on speakeasies
What they're saying:
During his Thursday afternoon press conference, Kranser vowed to shutdown the speakeasy where the deadly shooting happened and any other similar establishment in the city.
Showing pictures taken by investigators after the shooting, Krasner pointed out the building's plain facade, dulled by windows covered by plastic sheeting and reinforced with insulation and drywall to create makeshift sound proofing.
"We're talking about something that's bad for the neighborhood," Krasner said, revealing more about the building's troubled past and possible connection to a deadly hit-and-run weeks earlier.
Investigators believe 29-year-old Talyia Bernice Nesmith was headed to the speakeasy in July when she was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver moments after exiting an rideshare.
"The girl not even two weeks ago got killed crossing the street from a driver that was in a stolen car, and it’s like when are they going to stop this place?" Shaquilla Vargas, a neighbor, previously told FOX 29 News.
The Source: Information provided by the Philadelphia Police Department, the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, and previous FOX 29 News reports.