Separate shootings in North Philly leave two dead, one wounded

A pair of street shootings over a 90-minute period Thursday night in North Philadelphia left two men dead and a woman in critical condition, police said.

The first shooting happened about 7:45 p.m. near 11th and Thompson Streets. A 25-year-old man was shot four times and transported by Philadelphia Housing Authority police officers to Hahnemann University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a little after 8. The victim was identified Friday as Virgil Ross, who lived nearby on the 1200 block of West Master Street.

The second shooting left 22 shell casings from a semiautomatic scattered on the pavement near 16th and Diamond Streets, just blocks from Temple University. Police said the gunfire erupted about 9:15 p.m., leaving a 24-year-old man fatally wounded and a 35-year-old woman in critical condition.

Chief Inspector Scott Small said the man, identified Friday as Christopher Gardner of the 500 block of Millbrook Road in Upper Darby, suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his chest and abdomen and was pronounced dead at Temple University Hospital. The woman, who was shot at least twice, was also taken to Temple.

Small said one witness was being interviewed by police. He said the shooter is believed to have been wearing dark clothing, possibly a gray hooded sweatshirt. It was unclear whether the shooter left on foot or in a vehicle.

Multiple homes in the area have security cameras, and Small said officers were talking with homeowners to see if any of the cameras had captured anything useful.

Officials said no arrest was made in either shooting.