Olney bar owner fighting for life after robbery

An Olney bar owner has been clinging to life since Sunday night, when he was shot as two men robbed him along a busy commercial stretch of Fifth Street in North Philadelphia.

The confrontation was captured on a surveillance video that shows one of the men shooting John Adams, rifling his pockets, then firing again while fleeing.

Adams, 47, was hit twice in the chest, police said. The second shot passed through his right arm, which he had raised to protect himself.

"He's shot, robbed, pleads for his life, and shot again," police spokesman Lt. Frank Vanore said.

Adams, owner of Johnny's Top Cat in the 5000 block of North Fifth Street, remains unconscious and in critical condition at Albert Einstein Medical Center, police said.

Detectives are seeking the public's help in finding the gunman and his accomplice. Based on witness accounts, police described the gunman as Hispanic with tattoos on each side of his neck. One side appeared to be lettering. On the other side is a cartoon depiction of bags of money.

Both men were described as in their 20s. The gunman stands between 5-feet-7 and 5-feet-9. The other man was slightly shorter. The gunman was wearing a light blue polo shirt and a Phillies cap, which was left at the scene.

The men had tried to enter the bar around 10:45 p.m., shortly before the shooting. Johnny's was holding a comedy night with a $20 cover charge, police said. The men did not want to pay the charge and moved down the block.

A short time later, the video shows Adams leaving the bar to walk a waitress to her car.

The gunman and his accomplice were speaking with two women at the time. Shortly before Adams returned, the women left.

As Adams returned to the bar, one of the men pulled a .45-caliber handgun from his waistband and pointed it at Adams' head. Adams spun around and threw a punch before he put up his hands.

The gunman fired and, as his accomplice ran off, went through Adams' pockets. He fired at him again as he ran away.

Anyone with information is being asked to call Northwest Detectives at 215-686-3353.