Woman ‘struck by stray gunfire' dies as fight spills onto Philly sidewalk

A woman standing more than 200 feet away was shot and killed after an argument between men inside a beer store spilled out onto a Kensington sidewalk and erupted into gunfire early Tuesday morning, Philadelphia police said.

Police officers patrolling along Kensington Avenue around 12:30 a.m. on Oct. 8, 2024, were flagged down and told of a woman bleeding from a gunshot wound to her chest under SEPTA's Market-Frankford El tracks near Somerset Street, investigators said.

Officers quickly rushed the unresponsive woman to a hospital, where she died minutes later, Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.

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Investigators found evidence that at least one shot was fired outside of the Steak N Beer takeout shop, Small said.

Small said the preliminary investigation found that the shooter was involved in a fight with one or two other guys inside the beer shop, according to witnesses. The men then left the store.

"That's when the shooter walked south on Kensington Avenue, turned around and, we know, fired at least one shot" from the sidewalk, Small said.

That bullet missed the "intended targets," but did hit a woman who was about 200 feet up the street, Small said. "We believe she was struck by stray gunfire."

"We believe she was an innocent victim, we do not believe that she was the intended target," Small said.

Police said they didn't immediately know the name of the woman -- who may frequent the area.

The shooter -- wearing a blue sweatshirt -- ran off southbound on Kensington Avenue.

Homicide detectives interviewed witnesses and looked at surveillance video in an attempt to piece together what led up to the fight.

Community activist Roz Pichardo, who runs Sunshine House located right across the street from where the shooting happened, said she's been noticing more gun violence in the area and has even had to step in to help.

"We just need a little more support here, I think. Having this violence occurred last week where we had to apply first aid to a gentleman using a tourniquet and now this, 12 o’clock at night, it’s just too much," Pichardo said.

Councilwoman Quetcy Lozada, who represents the 7th district which includes parts of Kensington, said the city is focused on the issue.

"We talk about gun violence every single day," Lozada said. "I understand that we have to do more, I get it."

According to police data, the woman could be the 200th homicide victim in Philadelphia this year.

Overall, homicides in Philadelphia are down about 41% year to date, according to police data. The last time Philadelphia went this late into a year before its 200th homicide was 2014.