Briefly... CITY/REGION
Murder victims identified Investigators yesterday released the names of two men killed by gunfire on Thursday. Darron Birch, 24, was found shot in the head inside his apartment on Poplar Street near Broad in Francisville about 1 a.m., police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Murder victims identified
Investigators yesterday released the names of two men killed by gunfire on Thursday.
Darron Birch, 24, was found shot in the head inside his apartment on Poplar Street near Broad in Francisville about 1 a.m., police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Hours later, officers responding to reports of a shooting found Juan Robledo, 31, shot in his chest and right arm on Water Street near Indiana Avenue in Kensington, police said.
Police took Robledo, of 7th Street near Tioga, to Temple University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 5:16 p.m.
A second man was also wounded in the shooting that killed Robledo. He remained at Temple last night in critical condition.
There was no information on a motive or shooter in either homicide, police said last night.
Police ID officer involved in shooting
Commissioner Charles Ramsey yesterday released the name of the officer who shot a man accused of pointing a gun at his partner Wednesday.
Officer Brian Hines, a 14-year veteran of the department, shot Marquis Cantland, 22, once in the abdomen on 61st Street near Walnut in West Philly.
Hines had watched as Cantland, wanted in connection to an armed robbery, ran from his partner. At one point during the pursuit, Cantland allegedly stopped and pointed a semiautomatic handgun in the direction of Hines' partner, police said.
Hines ordered Cantland to drop his gun. When he refused, Hines shot him.
Cantland was taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center for his injuries. He's been charged with robbery, aggravated assault, gun violations and related offenses.
Hines has been placed on administrative duty while Internal Affairs investigates the incident, per police policy.
Cops release sketch of sex-assault suspect
Special Victims Unit detectives provided a sketch yesterday of the man they say robbed and then sexually assaulted a woman Sunday in Port Richmond.
The incident began about 6:30 p.m., as the woman walked with another woman and a man on Beach Street near Cumberland.
An unidentified man in his late 20s or early 30s walked up to them and struck up a conversation, police said, before producing a handgun and demanding their money.
He ushered the three victims to a secluded area, where he took their cellphones and wallets. While there, he restrained the victims with their clothes and sexually assaulted one of the women, police said. The gunman then ran from the area.
Detectives describe him as a white man, about 5-9 and 200 pounds. He had short brown hair, a "scruffy beard," a tattoo on his left arm, possibly a star. During the attack, he wore jean shorts, a white T-shirt and a white Phillies baseball cap.
Tipsters are asked to call 215-686-8477.
- Vinny Vella
