A fatal shooting in Philadelphia's Kensington district has resulted in the arrest of three individuals, including the suspected gunman. Yesterday evening, just after 5 p.m., Philadelphia police officers were on routine patrol when they heard gunshots at the intersection of H and Westmoreland Streets. A man was seen with a firearm and was arrested near the shooting victim, according to a report by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The officers discovered the victim, a 40-year-old male, lying between two parked cars with two gunshot wounds to the head. "[The officers] happened to be at the right place at the right time when they heard the gunshots and then saw the shooter standing with the gun in his hand over the victim," Chief Inspector Scott Small said in a statement obtained by NBC Philadelphia. The victim was rushed to Temple University Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 5:35 p.m.
Besides the 29-year-old man first seen with the gun, two other men were also taken into custody for questioning in connection with the shooting. All three were found to be armed. Surveillance footage from a nearby police camera, which captured the incident, is being reviewed by authorities. They had also recovered two spent shell casings at the scene, as further reported by 6abc.
While the motive behind the shooting remains to be fully understood, the police believe that the suspect and the victim knew each other. Police are continuing to actively investigate the incident and are looking to piece together what led up to the shooting. Anyone with information is encouraged to come forward and contact the Philadelphia Police Department's Homicide Unit at 215-686-TIPS. Community resources for those impacted by gun violence in Philadelphia are available for support and can be accessed by those in need.
