Just after midnight in Philadelphia's Fern Rock neighborhood, a 45-year-old man was shot in the backside on the 6000 block of Warnock Street, and the man who pulled the trigger is telling police he was defending himself. Officers rushed to the scene early Tuesday, got the wounded man to a hospital, and police say he is in stable condition while investigators work to sort out what happened. No one has been arrested.
According to 6abc, the victim was shot around midnight and hit in the backside. The outlet reports that the man who fired the shot told detectives he acted in self-defense, and as of the latest update, police had not taken anyone into custody.
NBC10 reports that officers arrived at the scene at about 12:23 a.m. Video from the station showed an investigator handling a firearm inside the home, though a later police update said that no weapon had been recovered. The Philadelphia Police Department is asking anyone who might know something to call its tip line at 215-686-TIPS (8477).
Fern Rock neighbors have already seen more than their share of flashing lights this summer. In June, a pre-dawn Fern Rock rowhome blaze was ruled arson and left two people injured. That fire, along with other incidents in North Philadelphia, has residents and community groups on edge as authorities keep responding to violent and destructive episodes.
Self-Defense Claim and the Law
The man who fired the shot has told police he acted in self-defense. Whether that claim ultimately holds up is a call for prosecutors and, if charges are filed, a court. Pennsylvania's self-defense statute can justify the use of force in limited situations, as outlined in 18 Pa.C.S., but everything depends on the facts investigators uncover.
Police say the investigation is active. Detectives plan to canvass the block, look for surveillance video, and interview any witnesses. Anyone with information or footage is urged to contact the Philadelphia Police tip line at 215-686-TIPS (8477).
