Police: 5 Suspects Wanted After 61-Year-Old Man Robbed Of $20 In North Philly, Then Shot In Face
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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Police are investigating after a 61-year-old man was shot point-blank in the face during a robbery in North Philadelphia on Wednesday night. Police say they are looking for at least five suspects who robbed the man of $20.
"The victim is very lucky to be alive," Philadelphia police chief inspector Scott Small said.
The victim is now recovering at Temple University Hospital after police say he was shot in the face.
It happened at 22nd and Cambria Streets in North Philadelphia around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Authorities say the man was just walking when a group of five men approached him.
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"One of the other males went through his pockets, took $20," Small said. "That's all he had."
Police say a few of the suspects then ran away, except the gunman.
"The victim was not putting up a fight, not resisting, he was just standing there," Small said. "And after the items were taken from his pockets, that's when the shooter fired the shot."
The victim collapsed but he was able to walk to a nearby corner store with a bullet lodged in his face.
Authorities say the attack appears to be random.
"It does not surprise me," North Philadelphia worker Charday Sampson said. "This is North Philly for you. Over $20, it's crazy."
Locals who live and work in the area say they need to see more round the clock patrol.
"They don't walk the beat at night," one North Philadelphia man said. "If they walked the beat at night, there would be less shootings."
"They be around here during the day, but at nighttime, it's like they're scared," he said.
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Authorities say the will evaluate the area, and make adjustments if necessary.
Meanwhile, they hope nearby surveillance video that captured the shooting will help locate the suspects.
"Detectives are in the process of retrieving all of those recordings to help us in the investigation," Small said.
Authorities believe the suspects may be young -- late teens or early 20s.
Anyone with any information is asked to call police at 215-686-TIPS.
