Victim critical after firing back at teen robbers in West Philadelphia: police
PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia police say arrests have been made after a robbery in Parkside ended with an exchange of gunfire between a victim and a suspect.
A 26-year-old man was found with a critical gunshot wound to the chest on the 1200 block of North 41st Street around 9 p.m. Saturday.
Police say he fired back after being robbed by two 16-year-old suspects.
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One suspect was struck multiple times by the victim's return fire, and transported to a local hospital in critical condition.
The second suspect was not injured, and taken into custody at the hospital.
Police say two weapons were recovered, and that the victim was licensed to carry.
Witnesses who live near 41st and Girard described what they heard the night of the shooting.
"I was coming out of my house and I seen the two guys walking past. I seen him and I knew they were up to no good," said a witness. "By the time we walked around in the opposite way of Parkside Avenue, we heard pop, pop, pop, pop, pop and said oh my God they shot him.
They feel that they came close to real trouble last night.
"If we would’ve walked down the street, then we would’ve been shot in the crossfire. It was scarier than ever," said the witness.
Cops say the victim was shot in the chest and arm, but he managed to fire several shots at one of the teens who tried to rob him.
"It appears a 16 year-old may have been attempting to rob a 26-year-old and the 26-year-old who is armed legally with a weapon and the two young men exchanged gunfire," said Inspector D.F. Pace, PPD.
Surveillance video provided to FOX 29 shows two people running from the scene.
A custodian from a mosque nearby didn’t want to appear on camera, but blamed the incident on the proliferation of guns.
"A lot of people getting a license to carry and it you know with all the element of crime in the area. People need to feel protected, but it’s sad that this guy was attacked and now two people are in critical condition," said the custodian.