Drexel grad, 24, charged in fatal University City shooting

A 24-year-old Drexel University graduate has been charged with murder, police said Wednesday. He allegedly killed a man who had been arguing with a woman late Tuesday night in University City.

Police were dispatched to the 3500 block of Lancaster Avenue about 11:40 p.m. for a report of a person with a gun and found Merlos Mukaj, 21, of the 3800 block of Spring Garden Street, lying on the ground with a gunshot wound to his chest. Mukaj was transported to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 11:52 p.m.

Police said Mukaj had been in a verbal altercation with his girlfriend when Joseph Howanski, of the 3800 block of Hamilton Street, got involved and shot him with a 9mm handgun.

Howanski, who had a license to carry a concealed firearm, was taken into custody for questioning by homicide detectives. He was charged Wednesday with murder and related offenses.

Howanski was a 2017 graduate of Drexel's LeBow College of Business, university spokesperson Niki Gianakaris confirmed Thursday.

Gianakaris said that the woman involved, whom police have not named, is a Drexel student. Mukaj has no affiliation with the university.

Howanski's preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 20. 

Patricia Madej contributed to this article.