A Little Too Close To Home
By Wyatt Earp | December 2, 2008
Anthony Birch: Suspected shooter.
It’s official: I have to take my gun everywhere in this town now.
PHILADELPHIA ― Police are searching for a gunman who opened fire in Philadelphia department store Tuesday morning.
Authorities said a victim was shot inside the stock room of a K-Mart on the 8800 block of Frankford Avenue in Torresdale at about 9:30 a.m.
This was my old sector in my last patrol district. It is also within two miles of my home.
The victim, a 35-year-old male, was apparently trying to intervene during a domestic dispute when he was shot multiple times. He was rushed to Frankford-Torresdale with wounds to his head, hand and chest.
Police are searching nearby residential areas and businesses in hopes of locating the gunman, identified as 30-year-old Anthony Birch. Early reports described the suspect as being approximately 5’11″ tall, last seen wearing a black hat and black hoodie.
No arrests have been made. The incident remains under investigation. (H/T – CBS3)
Shot in the head, hand, and chest? If this guy makes it, it will be a Christmas miracle. As for Birch, let’s hope he is hunted down like a dog.
Topics: Philly, The Job | 16 Comments »
December 2nd, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Merry frikkin’ Christmas. What a dirtbag.
December 2nd, 2008 at 12:42 pm
3+ miles as the crow flies. 4+ miles by car. (It’s lunch and I’m bored.) That’s plenty far away from gunfights. Personally, I prefer to live in a 10-mile gunfight-free radius, but that’s me.
Plus, all they have to do is go across the street and search Lindenfield…if it’s even still there. Just watch out for crack pipes in the streets.
December 2nd, 2008 at 12:44 pm
RT – Yep. A true American scumbag.
Randal – I guarantee that’s where he’s from. And yes, it’s still there. They should carpet bomb the entire block.
December 2nd, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Passed the chaos on the way home from work. Gas em’ all.
December 2nd, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Dude shoulda just gone next door to the Dining Car for some kick ass French Onion soup and mozzarella sticks. Takes so long to eat it he’d have forgotten what he was pissed off about.
December 2nd, 2008 at 2:22 pm
I am surprised that you didn’t already…
December 2nd, 2008 at 2:24 pm
I’m glad I live in a small town. Last time I checked we only had 6 scumbags. Which is cool since we have 0 cops.
December 2nd, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Go carefully, my friend!
December 2nd, 2008 at 6:32 pm
I tend to not listen to rumors (and this job is full of them), but the rumor that Holy Family University wanted to turn Liddonfield Projects into dorms was one I was hoping was true. (Apparently it’s not).
A month ago two of our cops came under fire while on a car stop in the projects by someone who wasn’t involved in the stop. Thankfully our cops were not injured. The savage was caught the next day, and charged after a short hospital stay.
As projects go, there are certainly worse in our fine City. But that place is dumped in the middle of an otherwise working class neighborhood. The animals who reside there have plenty of prey just outside the compound. Since it doesn’t seem Holy Family will be moving in anytime soon, I suggest a large wall and a moat be installed forthwith.
December 2nd, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Captain – “Napalm sticks to kids!”
Vincent – It was always great when we would stay an extra hour waiting for you to finish that soup. College ruled!
TexasFred – I do sometimes, but I don’t as often as I should.
Kaveman – At least the scumbags aren’t the cops!
Alan – Always.
Wagonsux – I remember you telling my that rumor. Would have been a great thought. As it stands, I wish the entire place would burn to the ground. Good neighborhood except for that four block stretch.
December 2nd, 2008 at 10:45 pm
Rule #1: Never involve yourself in the domestic matters of anyone if you are not bound by duty to do so.
Rule #2: If are are contemplating the involvement into the domestic matters of someone, see rule #1.
December 2nd, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Wyatt, that *Thin Blue Line* is too damned thin already.. Be careful Bro!!
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:27 am
Im glad im moving to the burbs in a couple weeks.Aston p.a its close to the city and safe for my new son.Im thankful i have enough money to get a good deal on a house but this city only caters to the districts that dont care about their neighborhood.I live in the 7th and cars keep getting broke into and burglaries but all our cops our being taken to all the problem districts pushing the criminals here and then they dont give us more police.I ve had enough this city isnt the one i used to love.
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:22 am
There are worse projects than Lindenfield? Where?
My best friend worked Housing back in the ’70s. His bottom 2 were Lindenfield and King Plaza.
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:24 pm
News flash…
this scum bag was found and killed himself as police came thru the door.
He saved Philly alot of tax money and should be thanked.
December 4th, 2008 at 2:36 am
You’re a cop and you don’t carry all of the time??
Every local cop I know carries everywhere and one or two of them even have shotguns or personally owned AR’s in the trunk of their personal vehicles.
I’m not a cop, but I do have a lifetime Indiana LTCH.
Though to be honest I rarely carry myself, despite it being perfectly legal because of the comfort factor.
The weight of my Glock 19 or my 2.5 inch Smith Model 66 makes my belt sag to the point where I’m self-conscious about others spotting the gun (or my pants dropping to my ankles, which would be worse).
For that reason, my carry gun for the rare occasions I do pack is a Smith Model 37 Airweight loaded with 125gr +P hollowpoints.
Having said this, watch me get into a situation tomorrow where I really need a gun, but don’t have one.