A 19-year-old woman was shot in the chest early Friday in West Philadelphia after an argument between her group of friends and a man across the street, police said.
The shooting happened around 2:30 a.m. near 56th Street and Haverford Avenue. Philadelphia Police Department Chief Inspector Scott Small said the woman was walking with three friends, another woman and two men, when the group exchanged words with a man on the other side of the road.
As the group walked away, the man pulled a gun and fired two to four shots, striking the woman once in the chest. She collapsed to the ground but was conscious and talking when first responders arrived, Small said. Officers rushed her to Presbyterian Hospital for emergency surgery, where she was listed in critical condition.
Her three friends stayed at the scene and are cooperating with detectives. Investigators recovered two spent shell casings and are reviewing footage from nearby surveillance cameras.
Witnesses described the shooter as a man in his 20s with dreadlocks, wearing dark-colored clothing and carrying a backpack with a teeth design. Police have not identified the suspect or made any arrests. Anyone with information can submit an anonymous tip by calling the Philadelphia Police Tip Line at 215-686-TIPS (8477).