A violent shooting in North Philadelphia left two dead and five wounded on Tuesday night, November 21, 2023, and sparked a police investigation into what is believed to be a drug-related incident.
The gunfire broke out around 8:30 pm on the 3200 block of Fairhill Street near Allegheny Avenue. Police rushed to the scene following reports of shots being fired, where they discovered four men suffering from gunshot wounds.
Four victims were transported to Temple University Hospital. Two of the victims, 31-year-old Roger Marquez and 38-year-old Leon Pierre, were pronounced dead on arrival. Two were admitted for treatment.
Three other men, wounded in the same incident, sought medical attention at three different hospitals. All the injured were between 19-30 years of age.
Interim Police Commissioner John Stanford, addressing the media, indicated that the violence could have ties to drug activity. This thought stems from the recovery of narcotics along with several firearms, including four handguns and a shotgun, at the scene. He stated, “This isn’t a block that we aren’t familiar with” in terms of narcotic activity. The investigation has pointed to the involvement of multiple shooters, as evidenced by over 70 shell casings recovered.
This incident adds to the grim tally of gun violence in Philadelphia. Despite a significant drop in violent crime this year, with a 29% decrease in homicides and an 11% decrease in aggravated assaults with handguns, the city has witnessed 335 fatal shootings.
The Philadelphia Police Department continues its investigation into the shooting. They have not yet identified any suspects or made arrests.
