Lawncrest slay suspect surrenders

When two teens tried to rob Jiaxing Lu's Lawncrest grocery store Thursday, he stood up and fought back.

Lu even managed to get the would-be thieves out of his store, but his victory was short-lived.

Police said one of the teens had pulled a gun and opened fire, killing the 49-year-old husband and father.

One of the pair surrendered to police yesterday afternoon, bringing a small measure of relief to Lu's grief-stricken family.

Darrin White, 19, of 12th Street near Poplar, North Philadelphia, was charged with murder, robbery, weapons offenses and related charges, said Inspector Joseph Mooney.

The alleged triggerman, James Canady, 15, of Carver Street near Colgate, in Lawncrest, is still on the lam.

Mooney implored Canady, who lives just a block away from the store, to surrender.

"Criminals in this city should know that the citizens of this city and the Police Department are not going to tolerate acts like this," Mooney said.

"With the help and support of our citizens, we will track these guys down.

"We will be relentless in our pursuit, and we will put them in jail."

Canady and White entered Lu's Grocery, on Colgate Street near Cheltenham Avenue, about 10 a.m.

Canady was arrested about a year ago on charges of robbing Lu's store,but the case was dismissed for lack of evidence.

But when Canady and White allegedly announced that they were going to rob the grocery store this time, Lu fought back, police said.

"A struggle ensued between the owner and the two males," Mooney said.

Lu's wife and daughter, who were in a room above the store, came downstairs when they heard a commotion.

They found Lu trying to force the menacing teens outside.

It almost worked. He allegedly forced Canady out first.

White tried to leave as well.

The screen door was partially open when Canady allegedly pulled out a gun. He wanted the final word, police said.

He fired, and the bullet struck Lu once in the chest, Mooney said.

Lu died a short while later at Albert Einstein Medical Center.

Witnesses helped police quickly identify and issue arrest warrants for Canady and White.

White turned himself in, accompanied by family members.

"It goes without saying," Mooney said, "that the best thing would have been if this awful event never occurred."

Shortly after police announced White's arrest, Lu's wife, Yu-Zhen Zheng, met with reporters at a Chinatown cafe.

Zheng, through a translator, said she was pleased to hear that White was arrested, and hoped that the court proceedings would go quickly.

She couldn't, however, forget the horrific scene that unfolded inside the grocery store.

"She looked from upstairs," her translator said.

"She saw her husband go down on the floor," he said.

Zheng sat next to him, her eyes filled with tears, her weary head hung low, as she nervously fidgeted with her sandals. *