South Street bouncing back nearly 1 year after deadly shooting
PHILADELPHIA - South Street, once considered a hub of tourism in Philadelphia, is making a comeback nearly a year after a deadly shooting that left three people dead and several hurt.
Maverick The Poet, a local artist and partner at a South Street self-care business, has spent the last seven years on the block and can sense the changes since the shooting on Jun. 3.
"Used to have live artists, it used to have vendors up and down the block," Maverick said. "It drove a lot of people away, people was in fear, once you have people in fear it's fight or flight."
Investigators say what started as a fistfight between quickly escalated into a barrage of bullets, some of which was indiscriminately fired by people who weren't involved in the initial fight.
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Two of the three people killed in the shooting, 24-year-old Alexis Quinn and 22-year-old Kristopher Minners, were innocent bystanders.
A manhunt for the suspects who were identified by business security cameras lead authorities all the way to an apartment complex in Virginia where two teens were arrested and charged.
Nearly a year removed from the deadly chaos, small business owners believe South Street is bouncing back.
"It slowed down dramatically because the traffic slowed down, but as of now it's picking up to where it used to be," Maverick said.
South Street shooting suspects captured in Virginia arrive in Philadelphia, sources say
Quadir Dukes-Hill and Nahjee Whittington, both 18, were taken into custody at an apartment building in Richmond, Virginia by a team of U.S. Marshals. Officials say Dukes-Hill is facing murder charges in the shooting death of 24-year-old Alexis Quinn. Whittington, a Philadelphia resident, allegedly fired the shot that fatally struck 22-year-old Kristopher Minners and injured another person.
Sarah Cowell from the South Street Headhouse District told FOX 29 no businesses closed as a direct result of the South Street shooting, and 38 new business have opened since 2022.
She shared exciting new plans in the works to help further revitalize South Street, including a hotel, a new café and a home good store.
"Our community is extremely strong and resilient, but that doesn't mean we're not still healing," Cowell said.