Philadelphia

Road rage sparks deadly shooting near Independence Mall, police say

One man was killed and another was injured in a shooting near Philadelphia's historic Independence Hall on Saturday night

NBC Universal, Inc.

A driver shot and killed a dirt bike rider and was then shot in the arm by another rider during a road rage incident near the historic Independence Mall in Philadelphia Saturday night, police said.

The incident occurred Saturday at 9:03 p.m. along the 100 block of South Independence Mall East in Old City, law enforcement officials said.

LΓ©elo en espaΓ±ol aquΓ­.

A high-ranking law enforcement source said an unidentified man who was driving in the area was involved in a road rage dispute with a group of dirt bike riders. The dirt bike riders surrounded the man's vehicle, a 2016 Cadillac, near Independence Mall between the 500 and 600 block of Chestnut Street, the source said.

The driver then pulled out a gun and opened fire, shooting one of the dirt bike riders, later identified as 29-year-old Angel Luis Rios, twice in the torso, according to the source.

The source said one of the dirt bike riders then pulled out a gun and fired back, shooting the driver in the arm.

Rios was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead at 9:27 p.m.

Officials also said that officers responding to this incident encountered National Park Service Rangers who had detained a 24-year-old man after they observed him allegedly shooting at the vehicle that fled the scene.

The wounded driver drove himself to the hospital where he is being treated for his injury, police said, though officials have not yet revealed his condition.

The shooting occurred only steps from where the Liberty Bell is housed and where the Declaration of Independence was signed. While tourists often visit the area, the shooting also occurred at a time in which most of the surrounding businesses were closed for the day.

Law enforcement officials said they believe the motive of this shooting was due to an argument, though an investigation is ongoing.

NBC10's Rosemary Connors spoke with Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner about the incident during an interview.

"I can tell you there were a lot of permits to carry and there were a lot of guns," Krasner said.

No charges have been filed as investigators work to determine if the shooting was a case of self-defense.

There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.

Contact Us