Philadelphia

Driver Fleeing Shooting Ditches Car After Striking, Killing Woman in West Philadelphia

The driver left behind his or her white Infiniti sedan before police arrived.

A driver reversed down a street and ditched his or her car after running over and killing a passenger who was trying to flee a shooting in West Philadelphia Sunday morning.

First responders arrived near the intersection of Aspen and 49th streets around 6:30 a.m. after someone reported that the woman had been hit, the Philadelphia Police Department said. Abbra Johnson was taken to Penn Presbyterian Hospital, where doctors pronounced the 36-year-old dead.

Initially, Philadelphia police called the incident a hit-and-run but after reviewing surveillance video, they believe the driver of the white Infiniti sedan starting reversing down Aspen Street after two people approached the car and at least one began to shoot.

Johnson had jumped out of the passenger side of a car to escape the gunfire, Philadelphia police said.

The driver then apparently reversed down Aspen street and struck about five other vehicles and then hit the woman as she tried to get of the car, police said. The driver then left the car behind and ran away from the scene. The driver remained at large Monday.

"She got caught up in the front as she tried to get out of the vehicle," police Capt. Frank Milillo said Monday.

The sedan was left perpendicular to the roadway and appeared to have damage to the front passenger side.

Milillo said that it appeared that the sedan was targeted. Investigators hope the driver can shed light on what happened.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Philadelphia Police Department.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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