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Benjamin Wright, 43, was shot in a thigh about 9 p.m. Monday on the court at Mander Recreation Center, 33d and Diamond Streets. He was treated at Temple University Hospital and released about 3:30 yesterday morning.
On Jan. 28, 2006, shortly before 8 p.m., Wright's car was sprayed with bullets as it traveled near 29th and Westmont Streets, about four blocks from the rec center. With Wright were his wife, daughter, and grandson Jabar, who was shot in the neck. Jabar was the only passenger seriously injured.
In April, three men were convicted in the shooting and given long sentences. A fourth was acquitted. At the time, police said Wright had been the target of a neighborhood feud.
"It was just neighborhood nonsense," Wright said yesterday in an interview at his home. "It has nothing to do with what happened [Monday] night."
Authorities were told that Wright was the referee for back-to-back league games at the rec center, and that a dispute erupted about his calls during the first game. About 9 p.m., during the second game, Wright told police, he heard gunshots and realized he had been shot from behind. Wright told police he never saw the gunman.
Police found no ballistic evidence at the scene, Chief Inspector William Colarulo said.
Yesterday, Wright said he did not know who shot him 12 minutes into the second game. Wright said he felt a burn and fell to the ground.
"One individual decided that a basketball game was more important than a person's life," he said, sitting on his couch next to a pile of gauze and tape for his wound. "I feel sad for him. And I feel sad for all the youth who are going to suffer because of one individual's actions."
Wright said he had not been in the argument about the first game, but detectives were told there were people who were not happy with his calls who left and returned during the second game.
In addition to investigating whether the shooting stemmed from Wright's calls, police were looking at whether it could have been linked to the previous ambush. Wright testified against the four men in his grandson's shooting.
Twenty years ago, Wright had been on the other side of such proceedings.
In the 1980s, he pleaded guilty to murder, and he was sentenced in 1987 to serve eight to 16 years in prison.
He was paroled twice but had to return both times because of parole violations.
In May 2002, Wright was released for a third time after completing his sentence, said Kelli Kishbaugh of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.
"I was very young then, and I made a mistake," Wright explained. "I served my time. They let me go. And I've never been back."
Wright said he had played basketball at Mander Recreation Center since he was a boy, and had coached and refereed there for more than 10 years.
"This league is an outlet that has helped so many," he said. "It's important to all the youth around here with nothing to do."
In response to the shooting, the city has suspended the center's summer league, which had been playing for about two weeks and has a dozen teams.
"It's a cowardly move for our young men to continue to just pull weapons out and start shooting," said Susan Slawson, the city's recreation commissioner. "We at some point have to say it's unacceptable."
Inquirer staff writer Barbara Boyer contributed to this article.
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