PHILADELPHIA, PA – In the heart of Philadelphia’s Parkside neighborhood, a chilling crime has left residents grappling with fear and sorrow. Late Thursday, a woman was reportedly thrown from a moving vehicle after being shot, prompting a full-scale investigation by local authorities.
The victim, a 32-year-old woman from the Parkside area, has yet to be identified by police. Officials are making efforts to contact her family as they delve deeper into the case.
Patricia Wilhite, a local resident, was taken aback by the news of the homicide occurring near her beloved A to Z adult daycare center. “It’s very unfortunate. I can’t imagine what could have happened,” she lamented, echoing the community’s collective disbelief.
Surveillance footage from the daycare center, as described by director Sabina De Piro, captured the harrowing event. A light SUV was seen driving by, its back door flung open as the woman was unceremoniously pushed out. “It’s just so crazy because there are cameras everywhere here,” De Piro remarked.
Police reported finding the woman with severe facial injuries and a gunshot wound to her chest around 9:15 p.m. Thursday. A witness confirmed seeing her ejected from a light-colored SUV. The homicide unit, led by Lieutenant Tom Walsh, is on the hunt for at least one suspect associated with the vehicle.
Lieutenant Walsh reiterated the availability of a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. “We would really like anybody to reach out to the homicide unit,” he appealed.
Meyer, who owns the A to Z adult daycare center, voiced her concerns about the neighborhood’s safety. With a school nearby and over 50 clients attending her center daily, she intends to bolster security and hopes for more frequent police patrols. “It’s an important area that we should take much more care in terms of security,” she emphasized.
Sadly, the woman succumbed to her injuries at Penn Presbyterian Hospital later that night. Police are urging anyone with information to come forward to help bring justice to the victim and her family.