Cops: Fatal Chester shooting looks like hit job
CHESTER » The fatal shooting of a man in his 40s inside a Kerlin Street residence is being investigated as a possible hit, among other scenarios, police said Sunday morning.
Based on preliminary information, Police Chief James Nolan IV said the victim “appears to have been targeted,” but other motives including robbery have not been ruled out.
There was no immediate indication of a forced entrance.
“Obviously the crime scene investigators will look at it more closely. The door wasn’t kicked in or anything like that, but that doesn’t immediately rule out forced entry either. He could have answered a knock at the door, and someone pushed their way in.
“Or, (somebody) could have already been inside the house with him,” Nolan said. “We don’t know yet.”
According to Nolan, police believe they know the victim, but have not yet made a positive identification.
Initially, city police responded to a call for shots fired in the area of the 1400 block of Kerlin Street but nothing was found, shortly before 9 a.m. Oct. 1. A short time later, police received a second call for a shooting victim inside a home in the 1400 block of Kerlin Street.
“Inside, police located a male who appears to be in his early 40s suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene,” Nolan stated in a prepared release. “Detectives from the Chester and Delaware County District Attorney’s Office are investigating what is expected to be the city’s 24th homicide.”
Anyone with information is urged to call city detectives at 610-447-8433, county detectives at 610-891-4700 or 911.