A 19-year-old woman was killed Monday evening in Philadelphia’s Rhawnhurst neighborhood after an apparent argument involving a pet hamster ended in a fatal shooting, police said.
Officers responded around 5 p.m. to the 7000 block of Langdon Street in Northeast Philadelphia, where they found the young woman, who is yet to be identified, suffering from a gunshot wound. She was taken to a nearby hospital but was later pronounced dead.
Police said the shooting happened during a dispute between the woman and her boyfriend inside the home. The man was taken into custody at the scene as detectives began investigating what led to the confrontation.
During the investigation, the boyfriend told police he fired the gun after the woman approached him with a knife and a screwdriver during the argument, though authorities have not confirmed that account publicly; investigators continue to review evidence and statements gathered at the scene as they work to determine exactly what occurred.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Philadelphia police at 215-686-TIPS as the investigation continues.
Related: Three people were injured in separate shootings across Philadelphia on Sunday.
