Man shoots at security guard in Dilworth Park near City Hall after two violent days in Philadelphia
Nobody was injured in the shooting at Dilworth Park on Monday night, but a bullet pierced the window of a nearby business.
A man fired a gun at a security guard who had asked him to leave Dilworth Park on Monday night, the latest shooting in two violent days in Philadelphia.
Around 11:30 p.m. Monday, police responded to Dilworth Park for a report of a person with a gun, police said. A 29-year-old security guard had told a group of people to leave the park, police said, and an argument broke out.
One man got into a physical struggle with the security guard, who was unarmed, police said, and then fired two shots at the guard, who was not hit.
The shooter then fled. Police continue to investigate, but no arrests have been made.
No one was injured in the shooting, but a bullet pierced the window of Rothman Cabin, near the Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink. Dilworth Park is a popular tourist destination, complete with small kiosks and the ice rink, which is still open for the season.
The park is open until 1 a.m. daily, but the ice rink closes at 9 p.m.
Philadelphia Police released a short video clip of the shooter, with a call to the public for help identifying him. The shooter was a man in his mid-20s, about 6-feet tall with a thin build, a full beard and mustache and silver braces with black rubber bands, police said. In the video, he was seen wearing a New Balance shirt, a dark hooded jacket, and jeans with holes in them. Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call Central Detectives at 215-686-3093, or call the Police Department’s tip line at 215-686-TIPS or text PPDTIP. All tips can be kept confidential, police said.
The shooting follows a violent few days in which at least six people were killed in multiple shootings across the city.
Around 6:20 p.m. Monday, police said a 23-year-old man was found in the driver’s seat of a Nissan with multiple gunshot wounds to the body on the 1200 block of West Venango Street. He was taken to Temple University Hospital and pronounced dead shortly after. The victim was identified as Saleem Pigford, of the 2300 block of North 19th Street.
No arrests have been made, but police said they recovered a weapon.
Late Sunday, at about 11:45 p.m., police found a 48-year-old man with gunshot wounds to the face and neck. Police took the victim, identified as Victor Antonio Diaz, to Temple University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 12:09 a.m. Monday.
The shooting was sparked by an argument, police said, though there were no additional details. No arrests had been made and no weapon was recovered.
Two men were shot and killed at about 1:45 a.m. Sunday on the 2600 block of West Sergeant Street in North Philadelphia, police said. A 28-year-old man was shot once in the chest and taken to Temple University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after.
The other victim, a 29-year-old man, was also shot once in the chest and shot six times in the right arm, police said. He was pronounced dead at Temple University Hospital just minutes after the other victim.
On Tuesday afternoon, District Attorney Larry Krasner announced the arrest of Muneer Simmons, 23, in connection with the shooting. Simmons was taken into custody Monday and charged with murder and possession of an instrument of crime.
At 11:56 p.m. Saturday, a 36-year-old man was killed and two others were injured in a triple shooting on the 5300 block of Rising Sun Avenue in Olney, police said. The victim was shot multiple times, police said, and was taken in a private car to Einstein Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead just after 1 a.m. Sunday.
Police said no arrests were made but that the suspects were two men.
A 31-year-old man was also killed when he was shot inside the hallway of an apartment building on the 4400 block of Sheffield Avenue in Holmesburg around 10:05 p.m. Saturday, police said. The victim was shot multiple times throughout the body and was taken by private car to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2:21 a.m.
An 18-year-old man was also shot in the apartment building and was in critical condition Sunday at Episcopal Hospital, police said. The victim was later transferred to Temple University Hospital, said Krasner.
No arrests had been made.