‘IT WAS A HIT’
Top cop says Upper Darby woman targeted, shot 3 times in alley, but survived ambush attack
UPPER DARBY » A township mother was shot three times on her way home from walking one her children to the school bus stop Tuesday morning.
“It was a hit. We don’t know why, but she was definitely targeted,” Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said Tuesday afternoon, as the attempted homicide investigation was still in the preliminary stages.
According to Chitwood, the 30-year-old woman, a resident of the 6900 block of Clinton Road whose name was not released, was in critical condition at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center as of late Thursday afternoon. She suffered gunshot wounds to the side of her head, chest and side of her torso, he said.
It was about 8:30 a.m. when township police received a report of a shooting in the alley between Clinton and Guilford roads, not far from her apartment.
“She just drops off her child. The child is picked up by the (Upper Darby School District) bus,” Chitwood said. “She is coming back to her house and a black car pulls up.”
Authorities have video that shows the car, a fourdoor Nissan Maxima between model years 20092014, with tinted windows and a sunroof. Video shows an individual believed to be the gunman exiting the vehicle and walking down the alley, according to Chitwood.
Though video does not show the actual shooting, Chitwood said several witnesses have come forward.
“He approaches her and shoots her three times. It was an assassination (attempt),” he said.
According to Chitwood, the father of the one of the woman’s children was back at apartment with other children. The father of another one of her children also responded to the scene, Chitwood said.
“She was alert and talking,” the superintendent said. “She said she didn’t know who shot her.”
The victim was transported to the hospital. An update of her condition was not immediately available Thursday night.
Witnesses told police a black man about 6 feet tall exited the Nissan. He was wearing black clothing, including a black sweatshirt/ jacket with stripes on the sleeves. The car dropped him off, apparently circled the block and picked him up after the shooting.
The gunman, Chitwood said, was obviously aware of the woman’s morning ritual.
“There is a pattern and they knew her pattern,” he said.
The victim as a criminal history dating back to 2008, with cases filed in Philadelphia and Abington on charges that included possession of a controlled substance, identity theft, forgery, and providing false identification to police.
The daylight shooting attracted several spectators. Numerous calls were made to 911.
Images of the suspect and the getaway vehicle were released Tuesday by Upper Darby police. Anyone with information is asked to call township detectives at 610734-7684 or 911.