For about two hours tonight, it seemed like all hell had broken loose in the city.
During that short time span, police were called to the scenes of two separate murder-suicides and a pair of unrelated shootings that left two men fighting for their lives.
The spurt of violence started shortly after 7 p.m., when a 60-year-old Ukranian woman fatally shot her 90-year-old mother and then turned the gun on herself in East Mount Airy, said Chief Inspector Scott Small.
The murder-suicide occurred inside the victims’ home, on Gowen Avenue near Stenton. Both victims, whose names weren’t released, died at the scene.
Several neighbors who were out walking their dogs stopped when they saw yellow crime scene tape stretched around the handsome single home.
Small said the elderly woman’s husband had recently died, but it was unclear if that played any role in the murder-suicide.
About 8:30 p.m., an 18-year-old man was shot in the head on Duval Street near Germantown Avenue in East Germantown, Small said.
The victim, whose name wasn’t released, was admitted to Albert Einstein Medical Center in “extremely critical condition,” Small said.
Police arrested the shooter a few blocks from the scene, with the help of witnesses who identified him, he said. It was unclear, however, what motivated the shooting.
About fifteen minutes later, a man in his early 40s riddled his estranged wife with bullets and then fatally shot himself inside their home on Maple Avenue near Trevose in Somerton, Small said. Neither victim was identified by police.
“The wife had recently gotten a protection from abuse order, but that didn’t stop him from calling her or showing up,” Small said.
The man and his estranged wife were both pronounced dead inside at the scene, he added.
Finally, about 9 p.m., a robber shot and critically wounded a 52-year-old man inside a pizza shop on Cottman Avenue near Castor.
“He robbed the cashier and four patrons, and then for some reason, shot one patron in the chest,” Small said.
The victim was listed in critical condition at Aria Health-Torresdale.
Police arrested the gunman a short while later, with the help of the patrons, who all positively identified him, Small said.
Insanity, way too many people have guns.— BleedingMe
Comment removed.- just another day in our wonderful city.... mmmm....mmmmm....mmmm— ghostmarine
- Shot AFTER being robbed? We seriously need castle laws in this state.— gtown_teach
- Maybe Obama can put his Peace Prize to good use in Germantown, North Philly, Frankford, etc.— WWTDD
What kind of thug animal shoots a man AFTER he robs him? There is no respect for human or animal life in this city!- The recent study must be wrong.... seems like owning or being closely related to someone that owns a gun increases your chance of being shot/murdered by 100%.— KingOfPhilly
- Comment removed.
- Comment removed.
- Its everywhere.— shawni650
- The best part of the story is that witnesses helped the shooter get off the street. We need to look out for each other.— lovelovinglove
- My thoughts and prayers are with the family of these victims. Philadelphia is a disgusting city and Mayor Nutter is a lame duck who has done nothing for the city. He is so afraid to create waves in these neighborhoods because he is afraid he wont get re-elected. Bring in the National Guard since the city is out of control. This city has a war going on with crime and lawlessness while the politicians sit in their cozy offices, collecting a paycheck and doing absolutely nothing about crime and drugs in this city. The criminals behave like this because they can!— kimtores
- City of Brotherly Love.— chemlady
- Yawn.— chrissmith
- YOU PEOPLE?? whaddya mean YOU PEOPLE??— CallerNo9
Dana DiFilippo has covered murder, mayhem and miscellany at the Daily News since 2000. She grew up in Delaware County and studied journalism and photography at Penn State University. E-mail tips to difilid@phillynews.com.
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Stephanie Farr has been reporting for the Daily News since 2007, covering everything from gay porn stars who entered the burglary business to moon trees, skinheads, murders and naked bike rides. She covers crime, both in the city and suburbs, and keeps clippings of bizarre Associated Press articles. Her favorite this year was the story about the drunk in Punxsutawney who gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a dead opossum. E-mail tips to farrs@phillynews.com.
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Phillip Lucas joined the Daily News crime team in 2011. He grew up on the mean streets of Seattle and studied journalism and psychology at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Before landing in the City of Brotherly Love, Phillip was a reporter for The News Journal in Wilmington, Del. Email tips to lucasp@phillynews.com.
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Morgan Zalot is the newest crime reporter at the Daily News, starting in 2011 after interning at the paper twice as a Temple University journalism student. In her past stints at the DN, she covered just about everything, from drunken Phillies fans to a barber shop in a high school to a grisly murder-suicide. She’s a born-and-raised Philly girl who grew up in the Northeast. E-mail tips to zalotm@philly.com.
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