At a Glance
- A silver Honda pulled alongside a parked tow truck and opened fire, killing a 25-year-old man and critically wounding his 21-year-old female companion.
- Police recovered 15 to 20 spent shell casings; stray bullets pierced a senior-living-center window on the building’s second floor.
- Investigators believe at least one of the victims was targeted, but no motive or suspects have been identified.
- Why it matters: The brazen 8 p.m. attack outside a busy storefront endangers residents and leaves a neighborhood on edge as police hunt multiple shooters.
Gunmen in a silver Honda ambushed a tow-truck driver and his passenger on a Northeast Philadelphia street Sunday night, leaving the man dead and the woman fighting for her life, authorities said.
The shooting unfolded around 8 p.m. on the 2100 block of Knorr Avenue, directly in front of Smokers World, according to Philadelphia police. A gray or silver Honda rolled up beside the parked tow truck and at least two occupants opened fire.
Detectives say the 25-year-old man had stepped out of the truck to make a quick purchase when the assault began. Surveillance and ballistic evidence show the shooters concentrated their barrage on the passenger side, striking both occupants.
> “It looks like two persons opened fire on that truck on the passenger side of that truck, striking both occupants,” said Philadelphia Police Inspector DF Pace.
The man, whose name has not been released, was pronounced dead at the scene. The 21-year-old woman was struck multiple times; medics rushed her to a nearby hospital where she remains in critical condition.
Crime-scene technicians counted 15 to 20 spent shell casings scattered across the pavement. At least two rounds continued through the façade of the mixed-use building, shattering a window that serves the senior-living center on the second floor. Several residents were inside at the time.
> “There were multiple people inside when those bullets came through those windows,” Pace confirmed. “Fortunately, no one on that floor was injured.”
Investigators have not recovered the Honda and have not identified the shooters. They are reviewing private and city cameras along Knorr Avenue and canvassing for additional witnesses.
Police said the motive remains undetermined, but the precision of the attack suggests planning rather than a random act.
> “Clearly, one or both of those individuals inside that vehicle were being targeted by the shooters,” Pace emphasized.
The tow truck, registered to a local auto-repair business, shows no obvious connection to the storefront or the senior facility above it. Detectives are examining the 25-year-old’s recent interactions, personal relationships, and any prior threats.
No weapons have been recovered. The department’s homicide unit is leading the investigation and asks anyone with video or information to contact them immediately.
This is a developing story. News Of Philadelphia will provide updates as they become available.
