2 fatally shot in Chester City

Two men were killed in separate shooting incidents in Chester this week, police said, bringing the city's homicide total to 16 for the year.

At 5:53 a.m. Tuesday police were called to investigate a report of shots fired in the area of Fifth and Lloyd Streets. Inside a black Saab riddled with bullet holes they found Edward Taylor, 54, with gunshot wounds to the torso. He was taken to Crozer Chester Medical Center where he died.

About 1 a.m. Wednesday police responded to 11th and Butler Streets for another report of a shooting. Frank Richardson, 39, was found inside a white Buick and pronounced dead at the scene.

Police were investigating whether the incidents were related.

Coincidentally, both men, who lived in Chester, had sons who were victims of gun violence in 2013, police said.

Anyone with information about the latest incidents is asked to call Chester police at 610-447-8433 or county detectives at 610-891-4703.

As of this date last year, 21 homicides had been reported in the city in 2014, according to state police figures. For the last 10 years the average is about 15 for the year-to-date period.

- Mari A. Schaefer