PHILADELPHIA, PA – A violent outbreak of gunfire in South Philadelphia resulted in a woman being hit by a stray bullet and a dog being killed. The incident took place on Porter Street around 5 p.m. on Thursday.
Police report that a 72-year-old woman had a narrow escape, only suffering a bullet graze in the stomach as she was leaving her home. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, treated, and then discharged.
One local resident, Krista Bortolato, witnessed men engaged in a heated argument while walking home with her son from his camping trip. The shooting broke out approximately 20 minutes later. Bortolato provided valuable accounts of the SWAT team’s tactical operations in her neighborhood after the incident.
Authorities have identified 27-year-old Salvatore Branco as a key suspect, and he has since been taken into custody. Although an initial raid on Branco’s residence on Porter Street ended in disappointment, he later surrendered voluntarily.
The impacted spot devolved into a sprawling crime scene that was cordoned off for several hours. Moreover, two blocks from the initial scene, another mortifying incident relating to the shootout was unearthed. A dog was tragically shot dead by a stray bullet during the confrontation.
The investigation is ongoing, with police actively scanning through surveillance footage and searching for at least one more suspect linked to the shooting.