Two slain, two wounded in 24 hours of violence
CHESTER » Two men were killed and two others wounded, one gravely, following three separate incidents of gun violence in less than 24 hours in the city.
In addition, shortly before 5 p.m. Thursday, detectives were en route to the area of Sunnyside Avenue and Worrell Street for a report of a shooting. A male victim was taken to CrozerChester Medical Center where he was listed in critical condition, police said.
No additional information was immediately available.
A gunfight between two men Wednesday night left both victims dead and investigators looking for a motive, Police Chief James Nolan IV said earlier Thursday. The victims in that incident were identified as Robert Roberts, 47, and Kaneef Dennis, 23, both of Chester.
“We are still waiting for ballistics, but it appears one of the men was the aggressor and pulled out a gun, and the other guy pulled out a gun and they had a shootout,” Nolan said. “We are still looking for a motive.”
Roberts and Dennis bring the homicide toll to 33 for Delaware County and 26 for Chester. Last year, the city’s homicide toll was 27.
According to a Chester Police Department release, officers were on routine patrol in the area of Ninth Street and Highland Avenue when they heard gunfire close by, about 7:15 p.m. Wednesday. As officers approached the area of Ninth and Grace streets about a block away, they saw a fleeing red Pontiac and a man later identified as Roberts, lying in the street. Roberts was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
Police later learned a second gunshot victim had been taken to Crozer, arriving in the red Pontiac. That victim, identified as Dennis, had been shot multiple times, including in his chest. Dennis was pronounced dead at the hospital.
In an earlier incident Wednesday, police say they were dispatched to the area of the 1000 block of McDowell Avenue for the report of a gunshot victim, shortly before 5 p.m.
Upon arrival, officers observed a man sitting on the pavement in front of a home in the 1000 block of McDowell Avenue. The man, identified as 43-yearold Chad Hammond, appeared to have been shot in his left leg. Paramedics transported the man to Crozer where he was treated for his injuries and released, according to Nolan.
Again, police do not yet know a motive for the shooting.
Anyone with any information concerning the double-fatal shooting is urged to contact Chester Detective Joseph McFate at 610447-8428 or by e-mail @ jmcfate234@chesterpolice.org or county Detective Michael Jay at 610-891-4711.
In the second shooting incident, anyone with any information is urged to contact city Detective Benjamin Thomas at 610-4478426 or by e-mail @ bthomas306@chesterpolice.org.