Man shot in mouth, chest in Frankford

Man shot in mouth, chest in Frankford

* Pear Street near Mulberry

A 33-year-old Frankford man was clinging to life Tuesday night after being shot three times on a street in his neighborhood, police said.

The victim's glasses, his keys and a small pool of blood marked the spot where a gunman opened fire on him shortly after 8 p.m., Chief Inspector Scott Small said. Police found two casings from a 9mm handgun and one bullet at the scene.

Small said that the man was shot in his mouth, chest and buttocks, and that his brother drove him to Aria Health's Frankford hospital. He was later transferred to Aria's Torresdale hospital, where he was in critical condition.

Police said there were no witnesses to the shooting, and they were working to determine what had led up to it.

Small said the man's brother told investigators that he didn't know what happened, although the victim had been conscious after being shot.

Men drop gunshot victim to flee cop

* 2nd Street near Linton

As an off-duty cop approached three men who were carrying a 17-year-old shooting victim in Olney, they dropped the teen to the ground then ran into a nearby house, police said.

The officer had called to report gunshots about 8:45 p.m. and eventually found the victim along with the three other men, police said.

After dropping the teen, the trio ran into a house on Spencer Street near 2nd, cops said. The men are likely the victim's friends and are not considered suspects in his shooting, police said.

The men were interviewed by police in the Northwest Detective Division while the victim underwent surgery at Albert Einstein Medical Center. Wounded in his right thigh, he was listed in stable condition at 10 p.m.

Police said the victim initially was uncooperative and would not provide information on who shot him or why.

A description of the shooter was not immediately available, and no arrests were made.

Thief swipes medical supplies

* 11th Street near Sansom

Six to 10 boxes of medical supplies - possibly titanium joint replacements worth between $300,000 and $1.3 million - were stolen Tuesday morning from a delivery truck parked outside Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, police said.

The heist unfolded about 8:45 a.m., police said. A deliveryman left the doors of his truck unlocked while he entered the hospital, said Officer Jillian Russell, a Police Department spokeswoman. While the driver was inside, a thief hopped into the truck, snatched the boxes and fled, police said.

- Phillip Lucas and Morgan Zalot