Two Philadelphians in two days were shot and killed just going about their routine
One of the dead was a mother of three, shot while sweeping outside the Mill Creek Recreation Center, where she worked. The other was believed to be a husband and father carrying home groceries.
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On the job at a recreation center. Out getting groceries. Everyday activities turned fatal for two Philadelphians who lost their lives in senseless shootings on back-to-back days this past week.
Tiffany Fletcher was killed by a stray bullet Friday afternoon while working for the city at the Mill Creek Recreation Center, in the 4700 block of Brown Street in West Philadelphia, police said. The 41-year-old mother of three was sweeping outside the center when a gun battle erupted and she was struck in the stomach, police said.
She was rushed by police to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead Friday evening.
» READ MORE: Man, 64, fatally shot on SEPTA platform at 19th and Market
Police Capt. John Walker said a 14-year-old boy — who allegedly was seen dropping a gun near the shooting scene — was in custody as part of the investigation. The gun was recovered by police.
On Thursday night in Overbrook, police said that a man identified on social media as Quenzell Bradley, or Quenzell Bradley Brown, described as being in his mid-30s, was shot in the head multiple times just before 9 p.m. on the 6200 block of Lebanon Avenue, where he was believed to have lived. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Those who knew him said in an Instagram post that he was carrying groceries home to his wife and kids at the time. Police provided no motive for the killing.
While police had not released the man’s name as of late Saturday, saying they had not yet notified his next of kin, relatives appear to be posting about his shooting on a Facebook page belonging to “Quenzell Bradleybrown.” A flier was posted on the page Saturday afternoon, identifying him as Quenzell Bradley Brown, aka “QQQQ.”
A Friday post on the Facebook page read: “... let it be known my brother was a innocent man was not n the streets was a family man married man with four kids just started his new job ln and was bringing in groceries unfortunately he was gunned down before he could even make it to the steps of his home died over senseless gun violence that had nothing to do with him mistaken identity I love you quenzell n we won’t rest until u get JUSTICE NO JUSTICE NO PEACE.”
A vigil will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday for the victim at 1101 N. 63rd St., according to a flier on the Facebook page. Attendees are encouraged to bring blue balloons in his honor.
No arrests had been made in either killing.
Late Friday, Mayor Jim Kenney and Parks and Recreation director Kathryn Ott Lovell issued statements praising Fletcher and decrying the gun violence.
Kenney called Fletcher “a dedicated, passionate, and driven city employee.”
» READ MORE: A 32-year-old, crushed between two ambulances, is killed in Germantown, police say
The mayor added: “Words alone cannot express the outrage, hurt, and sadness all of her colleagues feel tonight. I was beyond appalled to learn of this heinous and senseless crime that has completely devastated so many people, especially her family.”
Lovell added: “This afternoon a cherished member of the Philadelphia Parks & Recreation team was caught in crossfire and killed while serving her community at work at the Mill Creek Playground. Our colleague came to work each day dedicated to serving her neighbors and making her family proud.”
In an interview with 6abc, a woman close to Fletcher described her as a “great mom. Good person.”
Councilmembers Darrell Clarke and Jamie Gauthier also released statements condemning the violence and offering words of comfort to the bereaved.
Gauthier said that Fletcher wanted “to ensure that young people in the community – including her very own sons – had a safe and fun space to recreate; it is unfathomable that she lost her life in the midst of that noble work.”
Clarke described Fletcher’s death as “unacceptable,” adding that “our playgrounds and recreation centers must be safe havens, places for children to play, families to recreate, city workers to peacefully do their jobs.”
Just hours later on Friday night, a 12-year-old girl was hospitalized in stable condition after she was struck in the hip by a stray bullet in North Philadelphia while playing outside, police said.
And the epidemic of gun violence showed no signs of abating. From 9:30 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday, police reported 15 more people were shot, including multiple victims injured in a triple shooting and two double shootings.
Police reported two homicides in that time period, including that of a 64-year-old man who was fatally shot on a SEPTA underground trolley platform at 19th and Market Streets after an argument.
Among the 13 others who survived their injuries, four were listed in critical condition, one was hospitalized in extremely critical condition, and the rest were listed as stable.
Police have reported no arrests in the incidents.
As of 7 p.m. Saturday, at least 379 people have been killed in Philadelphia this year, according to police statistics and news releases.
Staff writer Ellie Rushing contributed to this article.