TEEN GUNNED DOWN
Top cop irked that despite dozens of witnesses, no one talking to police
17-YEAR-OLD FATALLY SHOT AT PARTY; CHIEF TICKED NO ONE IS HELPING COPS
A 17-year-old was fatally shot on a township street Saturday night after an altercation at a party escalated into gunfire, authorities said.
And township police Superintendent Michael Chitwood is ticked that despite dozens of potential witnesses, none are cooperating with police.
Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood called it a “disgrace” and a “lack of caring” that up to 30 people were in attendance at the party, but no one has come forward to provide information about what led up to the fatal shooting.
The victim apparently was fleeing some type of altercation inside the house when several men chased him out into the street. That’s when gunfire erupted and the teenager was shot at least three times. He succumbed to his injuries in the 500 block of Glendale Road. The victim, the suspected shooter and witnesses were at a party at a house on the block before the shots were fired.
The teen’s identity has not yet been released.
“The people at the party they all know,” Chitwood said. “Not one has come forward.
According to Chitwood, the incident occurred around 10 p.m. when police were dispatched for a report of shots fired. When the first officers arrived they saw a young man shot on the sidewalk in front of a residence on the block and performed CPR on him, which was unsuccessful.
Leading up to it, the victim was allegedly at a party that was occurring inside and outside of a residence on the block. Some kind of argument may have been initiated, which police are still trying to figure out in spite of innuendo and rumor surrounding it.
“Subsequently, something happened back there, (the victim) ran down the alley and up Glendale,” said Chitwood. “He was chased by three or four males. During the course of him running away one of them fired at him.”
When the police cornered off the block for its investigation they approached the house where the party was and no one would answer the door.
“At first they refused to answer the door, and they subsequently started yelling, screaming and cursing at the cops. They did not want to say anything,” Chitwood said. Eventually people started to come out one-by-one giving the police the opportunity to speak to them, but nothing was revealed to them.
The only witness was the person who called in the shooting who confirmed hearing three shots. They were not a participant at the party.
Chitwood said the “nosnitch” culture surrounding homicides, shootings and violent crimes is nothing new to him, saying he sees it more and more with these types of cases.
“I’ve been doing this for 50 years, it’s been part of the culture … but it’s disgusting and disgraceful to see these bums allowed to take over the neighborhood,” he said. “Until they come forward, the neighborhood won’t be safe. No matter how you address it, that’s the bottom line.”
Chitwood added, “They cannot allow this to happen, and they allow it to happen.”
Chitwood said police will continue with their investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to called Upper Darby detectives at 610734-7693.