Caught in the crossfire

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Police do not have a description of the shooter or shooters, but did collect ballistics from the scene on the 2000 block of South 20th Street.

At about 4:05 p.m., a 24-year-old woman received a graze wound to her head as she exited the corner store at 20th Street and Snyder Avenue, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detective Division said. Meanwhile, a 27-year-old mother of a 2-month-old boy and 2-year-old girl was walking down the street when a bullet struck her right arm. The children were unharmed.

Both women were transported to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in stable condition and have been released, Tolliver said.

To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013.

Shooter arrested

A man allegedly retrieved a gun and shot another who told him to shut up as he was trying to impress nearby girls last week.

A 23-year-old man was installing strobe lights on his girlfriend’s car and talking to a friend on the 500 block of Moore Street around 5 p.m. April 11, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detective Division said.

A friend of the friend, Kenneth Richard aka Saasir Richards, 35, of the 500 block of Titan Street, allegedly began to bad mouth him because girls were around, Tolliver said. When the man told him to shut up, Richard allegedly left the area and returned on a green mountain bicycle. At this time, the 23-year-old man was on his front steps when Richard allegedly said, “what’s up?,” and, according to reports, fired several shots at him with a silver handgun. The man tried to retreat into his home, but was struck once in the stomach.

The officer who arrived on the scene at about 10:55 p.m., transported him to HUP, Tolliver said. He was then transferred to Jefferson Hospital Trauma Center in critical condition and underwent surgery to his stomach.

Through interviews, police learned the Richard’s name and the victim positively identified him in a photo array, Tolliver said. He was arrested 3:10 p.m. April 15 inside a residence on the 400 block of Dickinson Street. He was charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, firearm violations and related offenses.

Held at gunpoint

A Grays Ferry man, who has since been arrested, and an accomplice held up a man at gunpoint for almost 20 minutes Friday.

As the 21-year-old walked home from his girlfriend’s home at 1 a.m., a man on a red mountain bike rode alongside him and asked for change for a $20 on the 2100 block of Marston Terrace, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detective Division said. When the victim said he did not have it, he was asked if he had change for a $10. As he replied with the same answer, Kevin Copes, 21, of the 2100 block of Etting Terrace, approached him on a blue mountain bike, allegedly pointed a silver revolver at him and said, “well, why don’t you give up everything?”

The two men emptied his pockets and escorted the victim to K Laundromat, 2710 Snyder Ave., Tolliver said. On the way, the unknown man asked, “do you know what kind of gun he has? What kind of gun do you think this is?” As he showed him a black semiautomatic handgun and its shells, he added, “this is a .40 caliber.”

The duo allegedly walked inside K Laundromat with the man and demanded he withdraw $500, Tolliver said. While he swiped his card, he was unable to withdraw any money. The men asked if he could get funds from anyone else, but he said he could not and eventually fled on foot. The men were still in possession of his identification and insurance cards.

The man positively identified Copes from a photo array, Tolliver said. His home was searched and evidence linking him to the robbery was recovered. He was arrested 1 p.m. the following day at South Detectives, 24th and Wolf streets.

He was charged with robbery, theft, aggravated assault, firearm violations and related offenses.

His accomplice has not been identified, but was described as black, 6 foot, with a dark complexion, medium build and a beard.

To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013.

Unruly fans

A Cherry Hill man was arrested after intentionally vomiting on an off-duty police captain and his 11-year-old daughter at the April 14 Phillies game.

After his two friends were ejected for spewing foul language and spitting on the family around 9:30 p.m., Matthew Clemmens, 21, of the unit block of Hassemer Ave., Cherry Hill, N.J., allegedly put his fingers down his throat and threw up on an Easton police captain and his youngest daughter, Officer Jill Russell, of the Police Public Affairs Unit said. His 15-year-old daughter also was in attendance at the game against the Washington Nationals. Clemmens also allegedly struck the off-duty cop on the left side of the face causing injury to his ear and vomited on the arresting officer.

It was not clear when or how Clemmens received his black eye, Russell said.

Clemmens was charged with corruption of a minor, two counts of stalking and three counts of simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, harassment and disorderly conduct, according to court documents.

Newbold mugging

A man was mugged at gunpoint after one of the robbers asked for a cigarette last week.

The 30-year-old was walking west on the 1600 block of Tasker Street when he noticed a man cross Tasker and two others between 16th and 17th streets, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detective Division said.

The first man asked for a cigarette, but he did not have one, Tolliver said. A second male pointed a chrome automatic gun at his stomach and removed $200 from his pockets. Before the trio fled north on Bancroft Street, he struck the man in the face with the gun. The man did not seek medical treatment.

No description was provided for the first male. The second was in his late 30s, 5-foot-8, 230 pounds, bald with a graying full beard, tattoos on both arms and wearing a white T-shirt, jeans and Timberland boots. The third was black n his late 20s, 6-foot-2, 170 pounds, with a small scruffy mustache and beard and wearing a white T-shirt, dark jeans and Timberland boots.

To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013.

Hardware heist

After trying to steal $675 worth of merchandise from Home Depot in Quartermaster Plaza, the alleged thief was found lying under a tarp in the backseat of a car in the parking lot.

The Loss Prevention Manager at the 2200 Oregon Ave. location is believed to have witnessed Craig Cole, 47, of Upper Darby, concealing merchandise from the store, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detective Division said. The employee confronted the man and tried to escort him back inside the store, but Cole allegedly attempted to flee.

The man held Cole’s wrist, but released it when the suspect allegedly pulled a silver and gray object from his pocket, which appeared to be a screwdriver, and said, “I’ll cut you,” Tolliver said.

Cole fled into the parking lot, but the employee kept an eye on his location while maintaining a safe distance, Tolliver said.

Upon police arrival, the man directed police to Cole’s location and officers are believed to have found him inside a parked vehicle hiding under a tarp, Tolliver said. Police also recovered a 6-inch screwdriver from the backseat.

Cole was charged with robbery, theft, aggravated assault and related offenses.

Unwanted follower

While driving in Grays Ferry, a woman sped off when another driver, who was following her, pulled up beside her with a gun.

The 51-year-old was driving near 32nd Street and Grays Ferry Avenue when she drove past a car making a U-turn around 4:20 p.m. April 12, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detective Division said.

After she turned right on Ellsworth Street, she saw the tan Ford Caravan tailing her, Tolliver said. While stopped at 25th Street, the man driving the Ford pulled up beside her and said, “Oh, I’m a take care of you” and lifted the butt of a gun from his car’s center console. In fear, the woman left the area and drove to the 17th District police station, 20th and Federal streets.

The driver was described as black, in his mid-60s, 170 pounds, with a goatee, salt and pepper hair, glasses and wearing a gray and black sweater and a black cap.

To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013.

Contact Staff Writer Amanda Snyder at asnyder@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.

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