Father of 3 killed in Southwest Philadelphia home invasion identified

Katherine Scott Image
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
VIDEO: Father of 3 killed in home invasion
Police are asking for the public's help solving a deadly home invasion in Southwest Philadelphia.

SOUTHWEST PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The wife of a man shot and killed by three home invasion suspects in Southwest Philadelphia has identified him to Action News.

50-year-old Tony Harris was taken to the hospital in critical condition after the Monday night incident and died early Tuesday morning.

Investigators say the man had been shot in the head while three young children were upstairs.

The incident unfolded after 11:00 p.m. at the victim's home in the 1100 block of South Ruby Street.

"We was getting ready to lay down," Harris' wife told Action News. "I heard the door knob turn, and then they just came in demanding money."

The three men, who came in through the unlocked front door, were wearing masks.

"One took me straight to the kitchen, put a gun to my head and told me if I moved he would blow my head off," said Harris' wife.

Three children, ages 5, 2, and 10 months, were inside the home. She said Harris was in the living room.

"They started tusseling," she said. "The guy that was on me got off of me and went to the living room. I heard one shot."

Harris died from that gunshot wound to the head Tuesday morning.

Police believe the suspects tried to steal Harris' shotgun but dropped it on the porch as they fled. They are now trying to figure out the motive.

Harris repaired electronics for people in the neighborhood, and police know he posted a photo of his wife holding a lot of cash on Facebook earlier this month.

Philadelphia Police Captain John Clark explains, "We do know of that post that he put up. So obviously that's a possible motive that we're looking at. But we don't know if that definitively got him killed or not."

There was a car crash around the same time. Police at first thought it might have been the getaway vehicle, but they've since ruled that out.

The children were not harmed.

Police believe the suspects are young - in the age range of 17 to 19-years-old.

As with all homicides, there is a $20,000 reward for info leading to an arrest and conviction.