New details after 78-year-old man killed in North Philly triple shooting

PHILADELPHIA - New surveillance video is shedding light on a deadly triple shooting in North Philadelphia that killed a 78-year-old man and left two other men injured Tuesday afternoon, according to police. Investigators say the attack unfolded just before 5:00 p.m. on Ridge Avenue when several men jumped out of a vehicle and opened fire before escaping in a silver SUV.

What we know:

Surveillance video from just before 5:00 p.m. Tuesday shows what happened at the corner of Ridge Avenue and Cecil B. Moore Avenue as multiple men jumped out of a silver SUV and started shooting, then fled south on Ridge. A camera from a different angle shows a man running into a store as bullets shatter the front door.

Police say a 78-year-old man was killed and two other men, ages 71 and 31, were wounded in the gunfire. Investigators told FOX 29 the men in their seventies were believed to be innocent bystanders. Surveillance video shows the 78-year-old sitting against a wall when the shooting began.

Kamiah Hawkins, a neighbor, rushed outside after hearing the shots to check on her mother’s 78-year-old friend. 

"We didn’t know where it was coming from we didn’t know it was an SUV or anything like that we just heard it, it was a lot of gunshots," said Hawkins.

Hawkins described the area as a close-knit space where neighbors gather. "That’s what he do chill out there every day chill with the fellas. People are out there doing everything, haircuts outside, everything, it’s like a community up there," said Hawkins.

Police say the two other victims are hospitalized in stable condition. Investigators believe the 31-year-old man, who was shot four to five times outside the Dollar Way store, may have been the intended target, but have not given a reason why.

More than 50 shell casings were found at the scene, with evidence markers stretching along the street. Several nearby businesses and a parked car were hit by bullets. "We’re pretty confident these different cameras recorded different angles that will help us with this triple shooting investigation," said Inspector Small of the Philadelphia Police Department.

What's next:

Police have not made any arrests. Law enforcement sources say there has been an uptick in violence in the 22nd District, including two shootings less than a mile away and just 18 minutes apart last Friday. Investigators are exploring possible connections between these incidents.

A concerned neighbor shared her unease. 

"It’s not getting better it’s just getting worse," she said.

Police urge anyone with information to contact them.

What we don't know:

Authorities have not identified a motive for the shooting or released descriptions of the suspects. Police have not disclosed why they believe the 31-year-old man may have been the intended target. The identity of the 78-year-old man has not been released.

Crime & Public Safety