A harrowing robbery attempt that led to a shootout in a Philadelphia corner store abruptly ended in a dramatic bus crash involving a SEPTA vehicle on Wednesday night. The incident unfolded around 10:00 P.M. at the intersection of 40th and Brown streets, where a man in his 30s or 40s was fatally shot during the attempted robbery. According to 6ABC, the victim was inside the store playing a video game when two male suspects entered and a robbery ensued.
Surveillance video acquired by authorities showed a suspect holding a gun to the victim's head before a fight broke out. In the chaos, police say the yet-to-be-identified victim managed to pull his weapon, leading to an exchange of gunfire with the suspects. After this shootout the suspects attempted to flee the scene, only to crash their Mazda into a SEPTA bus moments later.
The confrontation didn't just claim one life but also left a 17-year-old suspect injured with gunshot wounds to the arm and chest. The teen was later found by authorities near the crash scene and transported to the hospital in stable condition where he is being treated and held as a prisoner, stated NBC Philadelphia. Investigators are still searching for the two other individuals involved in the robbery and subsequent events.
No passengers or the driver aboard the SEPTA bus sustained injuries from the collision, a stroke of luck amid the night's violent events. Police have been meticulously combing through surveillance and camera footage from the store and the bus to gather evidence. "So we believe that the 17-year-old -- who's at Presbyterian Hospital -- was involved in this shooting and robbery," Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small told NBC Philadelphia. Two semi-automatic handguns and three spent shell casings were recovered at the scene, as per FOX 29.
As the investigation moves forward, police urge anyone with information on the incident to come forward and contact Philadelphia police.
