An unknown armed robber shot a 75-year-old woman in the face as she walked home from a Mayfair supermarket on New Year’s Eve morning, Philadelphia police say.
Despite suffering wounds to both cheeks, the bleeding victim walked an additional two blocks to her home and called for help, said Lt. Dennis Rosenbaum of Northeast Detectives.
The gunfire occurred shortly after 10 a.m. in a rear driveway adjacent to the 7100 blocks of Montague and Erdrick streets, just south of Cottman Avenue and behind St. Stephen’s United Church. At the time, the victim was on her way home from ShopRite at Frankford Avenue and Knorr Street. After she called for help, police arrived at her home on the 7200 block of Algard St. and took her to Aria Health’s Torresdale campus.
Investigators believe that the woman was carrying two shopping bags when a man in a four-door silver sedan pulled up to her, grabbed her purse and pulled her toward the car. During a struggle for the bag, the bandit shot once. The slug passed through both of the woman’s cheeks, Rosenbaum said. The wounds were not believed to be life-threatening.
Ultimately, the robber sped away with the victim’s cash and cell phone. He was described as a light-skinned Hispanic or black man. Call 215–686–3153 or 215–686-TIPS to report information. ••
