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Argument over dogs leads to fatal shooting

An argument over dog feces between neighbors in Tacony led to a shooting Tuesday afternoon that left one man dead and another in police custody.

Police Chief Inspector Scott Small gave this account:

About 4 p.m., officers from the 15th District responded to a home on Torresdale Avenue, between Magee and Hellerman Street, and found a 47-year-old man lying dead on the front porch of a house.

Before shots rang out, the victim and his neighbor, a 27-year-old man, were in an argument that eventually turned physical.

The victim argued with the suspect about the suspect's unattended dogs, a Chihuahua and German shepherd, defecating on nearby lawns.

The men struggled over a gun, and the 47-year-old man was shot at least twice in his neck. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

The victim's neighbor, who was carrying a 9-milimeter handgun, was taken into custody and was being interviewed by homicide detectives Tuesday night.

The shooter may have had a permit to carry a weapon.

"Any type of argument or fight that's gonna lead to gunfire is a terrible thing," Small said, "That this argument may have been over a dog, it's horrifying."