Person of interest in custody in shooting outside Northeast Philly Target store

NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Police say a person of interest is in custody in the shooting outside a Target store in Northeast Philadelphia that wounded a man.

Police say someone surrendered to police shortly before noon Saturday but wasn't being identified "pending formal charges."

The shooting incident occurred just before 3:30 p.m. Friday in the 7400 block of Bustleton Avenue.

Authorities say some sort of argument occurred near the front of the store when shoppers and employees heard gunfire.

"It appears four or five males got into a fist fight. It escalated, someone produced a firearm, fired at least once," said Police Spokesman Capt. Sekou Kinebrew.

One of the witnesses, Caitlyn Nickle, described what happened next.

"We looked up and we seen all these people running towards us. And all the workers came by and were like, 'Everybody to the back of the store. Everybody to the back of the store.' So, as we got to the back of the store, I walked over and we seen the door, and all you seen is the guy who got shot, he walked in, literally, and like fell to his knees," she said.

The shoppers and employees stayed in the back of the store for 10 to 20 minutes before they were allowed out the back entrance.

The 29-year-old victim was apparently shot in the back outside the store before stumbling and collapsing inside the front door.

He was taken to Aria Torresdale Hospital for treatment, and is listed in critical but stable condition.

Heavily armed SWAT officers cleared the building. After more than an hour, shoppers who had been evacuated were questioned by police then allowed to return to their cars, and employees retrieved possessions before heading home.

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