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Cops: Murderer had Florida gun permit

A Philadelphia man who murdered an 18-year-old by shooting him 13 times on Sunday had a Florida license to carry a concealed weapon, even though his Philadelphia license to carry had been revoked, police said.

A Philadelphia man who murdered an 18-year-old by shooting him 13 times on Sunday had a Florida license to carry a concealed weapon, even though his Philadelphia license to carry had been revoked, police said.

Marqus G. Hill, 28, allegedly shot Irving Santana, 18, around 6:30 a.m. after finding Santana breaking into his car on Gale Street near B. Hill has been charged with murder and related offenses, police said.

Hill was granted a Philadelphia license to carry a concealed weapon in 2005, but it was revoked in 2008 because of his contact with law enforcement, police said. Last year, Hill, who has no connection to Florida, was granted a Florida license to carry a concealed weapon, which must be honored in Pennsylvania, despite his Philadelphia revocation.

Because of what police call a "loophole" in Pennsylvania's concealed carry reciprocity agreements with other states, most notably, Florida, Pennsylvanians can get nonresident permits from those states through the mail to carry concealed weapons, even without a Pennsylvania permit.

Philly cops say it allows people who have been denied a gun permit in Philadelphia or who have had theirs revoked to circumvent local authorities.

State Rep. Bryan Lentz, D-Delaware County, has sponsored a House bill that would close the "loophole. "

Read previous stories from the Daily News on the "Florida loophole" here and here.