A 24-year-old woman was shot in the leg through her own front door on the 4900 block of Aspen Street in West Philadelphia Thursday night, with her 2-year-old daughter home and awake at the time of the gunfire. Police say they are now searching for the woman's boyfriend, who they believe fired the shot from the porch.
The shooting happened around 9 p.m. Thursday, according to 6abc Philadelphia, which reported that the victim told police her boyfriend fired a shot from the porch through the front door of the home. The woman was struck in the leg and is listed in stable condition. Her toddler was not injured, though the child was home and awake as the gunfire went through the door.
Police have not announced an arrest, and the gunman's whereabouts remain unknown as investigators continue searching for him. The station's report does not identify a motive or indicate whether charges have been filed.
What Charges Could Follow
Under Pennsylvania law, knowingly or recklessly discharging a firearm into an occupied structure from outside is a third-degree felony carrying up to seven years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000, according to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania does not maintain a standalone domestic violence charge; instead, shootings like this one are typically prosecuted as aggravated assault under state law, which can carry up to 20 years in prison per count, per the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence. PCADV says responding police are required to make an arrest after an allegation of household violence, and domestic abuse prosecutions in the state proceed regardless of whether a victim later asks that charges be dropped.
The presence of the woman's 2-year-old daughter inside the home during the shooting raises the possibility of an additional charge of recklessly endangering another person. Investigators have also not disclosed what type of firearm was allegedly used.
A Neighborhood Already on Edge
The 4900 block of Aspen Street is in West Philadelphia. Hoodline has tracked a run of West Philly shootings in recent weeks, including a fatal shooting on Brown Street in Mill Creek and a nonfatal leg shooting on North 56th Street.
Citywide, homicides are discussed in relation to this year's broader crime trends. The city's Controller's Office tracks fatal and nonfatal shooting victims in Philadelphia, per the Philadelphia Controller's Office.
The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence discusses domestic-violence offenses in the state.
Victim Support and Where to Get Help
The Aspen Street report does not identify which hospital treated the victim; Penn Presbyterian Medical Center appears in a separate Hoodline report about the Brown Street fatal shooting, while the Penn Trauma Violence Recovery Program does not appear in the supplied sources.
Anyone experiencing domestic abuse should seek help from local support services.
