A 16-year-old male has been wounded following a botched robbery attempt with a toy gun in Philadelphia's West Kensington neighborhood, as per reports from local authorities and media outlets. At approximately 11 p.m. on Sunday, along the 2200 block of Emerald Street, the teenage suspect and an accomplice are said to have approached a couple, aiming to acquire their items, as detailed by FOX 29.
While attempting to execute the robbery successfully, the teen pressed what appeared to be a gun against the back of a man, who, alongside his girlfriend, was their intended target. Police described how the suspects demanded the man's keys, wallet, and other valuables. However, the victim, legally armed, managed to draw his weapon and shoot the assailant in the leg, quickly changing the dynamics of the encounter, NBC Philadelphia reported.
The Philadelphia Police, as stated by Inspector D.F. Pace, confirmed that the firearm used by the teenager was a toy, a detail that was discovered post-incident when the imitation weapon was found at the scene. "Having been pressed into the victim's back, there would have been no way for them to know that," Inspector Pace explained, as cited by FOX 29. The second suspect fled on foot and remains at large as police investigations continue.
The injured teen was taken to St. Christopher's Hospital and is in stable condition. The gun owner was unharmed and stayed at the scene, cooperating with police. Authorities are using the suspects' descriptions and evidence, including Ring camera footage, to track down those involved in the attempted robbery.
