Philadelphia police are warning residents about a man suspected of targeting women late at night in the city’s Fairmount neighborhood.
Investigators say they are looking into at least two incidents near 27th Street, including one on Tuesday, July 21 in which a man entered a home and came face to face with a woman inside.
The woman, who lives in Fairmount, said the encounter happened around 3:30 a.m. near 27th and Parrish streets as she was relaxing after working a late shift.
“I got up and I went to look and he’s standing in my kitchen looking at me,” she said. “I started screaming at him to ‘get out of my house!’”
She said her reaction quickly shifted from shock to self-defense.
“There was a Yeti cup sitting on my island and I grabbed it, the handle, and I threw it at him,” she said. “When he saw me reaching for the cup, he turned around and ran back out the door. And he pulled the door so the Yeti cup went through the glass and broke the glass and he ran off.”
Police say Ring video obtained as part of the investigation shows a man matching the description walking near the woman’s home about 30 minutes before the incident.
“He was in a Kelly green sweatshirt and the basketball shorts. The gray basketball shorts. That was him 100%,” she said.
Investigators are also examining a separate incident from Sunday, July 19 near 27th and Brown streets.
A woman told NBC10 she was walking home around 9:30 p.m. when she noticed a man matching the same description following her.
After she got inside and locked her door, she said the man came onto her porch and tried to get inside, prompting her to call 911.
Jamie Miller, founder of Philly Self Defense, said situations like these highlight the importance of awareness and preparation.
“We should have a safety plan if you find someone that’s in your house that’s not supposed to be there,” Miller said. “So, I would say: Always look for an easy exit. If somebody’s in your house, try to create that distance, create space and get out to safety, call 911 and do what you need to do to keep yourself safe.”
The Fairmount resident said she hopes others take precautions.
“Be aware of your surroundings and lock your doors at all times. Lock your doors,” she said. “It was the scariest moment of my life,”
Philadelphia police are asking anyone who recognizes the man seen in the video to come forward. Tips can be submitted anonymously by calling 215-686-TIPS.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication.