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Responding to a report of a large fight in front of Cookie’s Bar, 2026 S. Third St., just before midnight, authorities took testimony from the quartet of complainants and a pair of witnesses. The first victim observed his friend, the second unfortunate individual, arguing with the unknown offenders, whom he noted had their hands in their pockets, outside the Pennsport establishment. When the second defendant punched his peer in the face, he tried to prevent further damage but ended up suffering a cut to his arm that required 10 stitches, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detective Division said.
His friend told law enforcement agents he had gone inside the site to talk with a friend and, upon his exit, had accidentally bumped into the first defendant, who allegedly said “What are you looking at?” Minus provocation, he contends, two of the defendants punched him, and he began to wrestle with the first supposed attacker. While on the ground, he claims the second aggressor cut the third and fourth complainants with a utility knife. He stated he does not know the alleged primary figures but identified the third as his neighbor. He sustained a laceration above his right eye and a swollen face and nose.
The third victim divulged that he had been at O’Malley NYA, 2024 S. Third St., when he heard the argument. Approaching the purported second violent individual, he asked why he had his hands in his pockets, Tolliver said, before supposedly suffering a swipe from a utility knife. A friend of all three other complainants, he added the defendants, all strangers to him, attempted to flee the area in a truck. The final complainant noted he had gone outside shortly after the first two victims left the primary watering hole and suffered a strike to the left side of his face due to the first defendant’s use of a wrench. He likewise wrestled with the alleged first attacker.
Authorities arrested Leonardo Phillip Morsa, 34, of the 2300 block of South Bouvier Street; Robert Williams, 30, of Schuylkill River Park; and John Morsa, 59, of the 200 block of Jackson Street, and charged them with criminal conspiracy, aggravated and simple assault and possession of an instrument of crime. They await a June 17 preliminary hearing.
Contact Managing Editor Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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