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Man pulls 13-inch knife during fight at Northeast Philadelphia Pathmark, gets shot

A man who brought a knife to a gun fight at a Northeast Philadelphia supermarket late Sunday afternoon learned the hard way that picking an argument with a stranger is a bad idea.

This post has been updated.

A man who brought a knife to a gunfight at a Northeast Philadelphia supermarket late Sunday afternoon learned the hard way that picking an argument with a stranger can be a pretty bad idea.

Police said the two men, ages 37 and 38, were in the parking lot outside the Pathmark store on Frankford Avenue near Pennypack Street, in Pennypack Woods, just after 5:30 p.m. when the younger man confronted the older man for "looking at [him] for no reason." The men argued, and the younger man pulled a 13-inch serrated hunting knife and tried to attack the older man with it, threatening to "cut" him, according to police.

The older man asked the aggressor several times to drop the knife but he refused, according to police, and instead charged at him with the weapon. The older man then pulled out his 9mm Glock and shot the knife-wielder in the groin, police said.

Both men, whom police did not officially identify on Sunday but said are both from neighborhoods in the vicinity of the Pathmark, remained at the scene until officers arrived. The man who was shot was taken to Aria Health's Torresdale hospital, where police said he was in critical condition and being held as a prisoner as an investigation into the incident continued. Cops recovered the knife he allegedly charged at the other man with in the parking lot.

Police said the shooter had a valid permit to carry the gun. No charges were announced Sunday night.