Authorities identify woman arrested for allegedly shooting 7-month-old boy in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Authorities have identified the suspect who is accused of shooting a 7-month-old baby boy on Thursday night in Philadelphia.

Police have arrested Dominique Billips, 28, for allegedly shooting the young child on the 4000 block of Meridian Street in the city's Holmesburg neighborhood.

Disturbing video obtained by Action News shows the gunman walking up and opening fire on a baby and his parents outside of a home.

In the video, the child's mother can be heard repeatedly yelling, "My baby," after the shots were fired.

"You knew they had a stroller, what makes you walk up to someone with a stroller and shoot them?" questioned Lieutenant Denis Rosenbaum with Philadelphia police.

According to police, the baby was shot in the leg by one of the bullets. When officers got to the scene, however, the parents were nowhere to be found.

"The mother and father who had initially gone to the hospital left the location because of fear from police because of outstanding warrants," Rosenbaum explained.

Later, officials were able to bring the parents in for questioning and were told about an argument that took place on the 7900 block of Frankford Avenue before the shooting.

There, police said they were able to get a better visual of their suspect with business surveillance video.

According to police, it appears the argument stems from a $100 narcotics debt.

"One of the detectives from a different squad had recognized one of the females involved from another shooting where she was the victim in 2022. It happened on the 4200 block of Rhawn Street in August of 2022," Rosenbaum explained.

Philadelphia police said they received a tip providing the name of the offender, who also matched the name of the shooting victim the detective thought it was.

Highway patrol was able to assist police in locating the vehicle also seen on surveillance video, which was known to be used by Billips.

Police found the vehicle on the 5900 block of Loretto Street, where they stopped a female and reportedly learned Billips was at a house on the 1300 block of Van Kirk.

"The suspect was asked to come out. She did and surrendered to the highway patrol officers. She was taken into custody without incident," Rosenbaum said.

According to police, arrangements were being made for the baby to be released to the family from CHOP, where he was in stable condition.

Police said the prior warrants for the parents were nonviolent.

"It's sad, you see she points the gun at the mother of the baby who is also a juvenile, and fires. Luckily she missed, a 7-month-old baby might not remember that but that story is always going to be there," explained Rosenbaum.

Billips has since been charged with Aggravated Assault, Violation of the Uniform Firearms Act (VUFA), and other related offenses.