Police are searching for a gunman who allegedly shot a snake dealer in Ridley Township.
Police say the dealer, a man from Doylestown, planned to meet a New York City man to sell him 20 ball python snakes for a total of $12,600. On Sunday the dealer met with a man who he believed was the buyer at the Woodlyn Shopping Center. During the meeting, police say the man shot the dealer, stole his Toyota RAV4 and drove off with the 20 snakes before crashing into a pole and running off on foot.
Police say the gunman threw a Smith & Wesson .357 revolver and a Beretta 9 mm into the woods as he escaped, according to the Philadelphia Daily News.
The victim was taken to the Crozer-Chester Medical Center where he is currently in stable condition. The snakes are currently being held in two boxes at the Ridley Police Department.
Police also told the Daily News that the gunman may have not been the actual snake buyer. Instead it’s possible that the suspect shot the dealer before the actual buyer arrived from New York, though this has not been confirmed.
The suspect is described as a black male in his early 20s, according to the Daily News. They also report he was last seen wearing black clothing.
