Woman shot and killed by resident during alleged North Philadelphia break-in

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A woman was shot and killed after allegedly breaking into a home in North Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon, according to police.

Philadelphia Police Inspector D.F. Pace said preliminary information indicates the woman entered the home through a back window on the 2300 block of North Cleveland Street. Residents inside told her to leave, but she did not comply and was shot multiple times, police said.

"It appears that this is a case of a person defending oneself inside their own home," Inspector Pace said.

"The persons inside heard the glass break, went to see what was going on and saw a person attempting to come in through the back window. Those residents of that house told that person to get back, get out, but that person continued to come into the home based on the information that we have so far."

Pace said the person who fired the fatal shots was licensed to carry.

"The homeowners, the person who shot at the person breaking in, actually attempted to assist that individual after that person was shot and was no longer a threat, assisting officers by helping carry that person into the car, into a waiting police car," Pace added.

Officers responded shortly after 1 p.m. and found the woman inside the home with gunshot wounds. She was transported to Temple University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. No arrests have been made, and the investigation remains ongoing.

A neighbor, identified as Shawnee C., said it was her neighbor who fired the shots.

"He was just protecting his house," Shawnee said,

Shawnee works as a public safety enforcement officer for the city, and said she had just returned home when she heard gunfire.

"I just left the race, came home, changed my uniform, sat down and watched a little TV, and I heard a little pop pop pop," she said. "Next thing you know, I came back out, and the tape and all that stuff was up, and then they said my neighbor caught somebody, the dog must've been barking, caught somebody trying to break in his house."

She added that the neighbor is licensed to carry a firearm.

"He used his firearm to protect what he owns," she said.

She also described the man as well-known in the community.

"Good neighbor, very good neighbor. Good with kids, the little kids were crying when they saw him come out with handcuffs and stuff like that."

The two homes next to the property have been vacant for some time, Shawnee added, and are known to have squatters, which has led to ongoing issues in the area.

"We've been having a problem with these two houses right here ever since last summer. People were calling 311 and all this stuff because they've been drug infested, we had people all night just knocking on the door arguing, fighting, and stuff."

Police have not identified the woman, and the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation.