South Philadelphia shootout injures 72-year-old woman, kills dog

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- One person has been arrested in Philadelphia in connection with a shootout that left a woman injured and a dog dead.

It happened around 5 p.m. Thursday on the 1200 block of Porter Street in South Philadelphia.

Police say a 72-year-old woman was grazed in the stomach by a bullet as she was leaving her house.

She was taken to the hospital and later released.

"I feel sorry for the woman who got hit and I'm glad she's alright," said neighbor, Krista Bortolato.

Bortolato and her 9-year-old son saw men arguing while on their walk home from camp. She says the shots came 20 minutes later.

"I saw a SWAT team in tactical gear come in. I think six or seven go into a home. I didn't see them come out with anything," said Bortolato.

Police sources say 27-year-old Salvatore Branco is in custody.

Soon after the shooting, SWAT officers raided a home on the 1300 block of Porter Street. Branco was not found inside, but we are told he later turned himself into police.

The sprawling scene was blocked off for hours.

"It is a more busy time in our neighborhood so it is a little bit extra unassuming that such a horrible crime would happen when there's so many people out," said Sara Bakken.

Police processed another related shooting scene two blocks up on the 1500 block of Porter Street.

There, a stray bullet took the life of a dog.

"She just went to take the dog out and she looked down and the dog dropped and she had heard a little bit of noise, but it just happened so fast," said Bakker. "It was so sad."

Police are combing through surveillance video and looking for at least one other suspect in the shooting.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 215-686-TIPS.