A late-night DIY job on a Kensington block turned violent when a 36-year-old man was shot four times while spray-painting his car on the 2000 block of East Monmouth Street shortly after midnight, police said. Despite his injuries, the man managed to drive himself to a nearby hospital, where he is being treated for multiple gunshot wounds.
Witnesses told officers that a gunman walked up to the victim, fired once into his back and three times into his arms, then took off running north on foot. No arrests have been reported.
Police Open Investigation
According to NBC10 Philadelphia, police were alerted after the victim had already left the scene, and officers initially found no one on the block. The 36-year-old later told detectives the shooter fired four times before fleeing, and investigators have now opened an active probe into the attack.
Chief Inspector Scott Small said officers have interviewed witnesses and are reviewing camera footage from the area. Police have not released a description of the suspected shooter, and investigators say they do not yet know whether the gunman knew the victim or what the motive might have been.
Kensington And City Trends
The shooting is the latest in a string of violent incidents in Kensington, a neighborhood that has long struggled with gun violence even as citywide numbers have started to move in the right direction. Data from the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office's March 2026 data snapshot and reporting by The Trace point to recent declines in homicides and shootings. Even so, community groups caution that violence remains heavily concentrated in specific neighborhoods like Kensington.
How To Help
Police are asking anyone with information or video of the incident to contact detectives. The City of Philadelphia "Submit a tip to the police" page lists options to report information anonymously online or by phone. Tips can also be emailed to [email protected] or called or texted to 215-686-TIPS (8477).
The investigation remains ongoing, and police say they will release updates as new information becomes available.
