A Philadelphia man is accused of shooting and killing a FedEx driving instructor near Philadelphia International Airport in Tinicum Township earlier this month after the employee didn’t approve of him becoming a driver for the company.
Keith Lamont Blount, 59, was arrested for the murder of Bartholomew Masciulli, 51, of Levittown.
Blount is charged with criminal homicide, murder and other related offenses. He is also charged with an assault on a law enforcement officer after he allegedly opened fire on responding Philadelphia police officers.
On Oct. 7, Tinicum Township Police received a call for a shooting in the Cargo City area of Philadelphia International Airport. When they arrived they found Masciulli inside a silver Jeep Patriot and suffering from gunshot wounds to the face. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Get Philly local news, weather forecasts, sports and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia newsletters.
Investigators found five 9mm fired cartridge casings about 50 feet behind the vehicle.
Witnesses told police they spotted a man, later identified as Blount, speaking with Masciulli who was driving the jeep. Blount then allegedly stepped back from the vehicle, pulled out a gun and fired five times at the jeep.
The witnesses said Blount then entered a Honda Accord and fled the scene.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
Another witness told police he knew Blount. He said Blount had recently started training to become a FedEx driver and that Masciulli was a driver training instructor for the company. Investigators later confirmed through documents that Masciulli had evaluated Blount on August 29 and September 2 and did not approve of him becoming a FedEx driver. Investigators then used security camera footage of Blount’s vehicle to identify him as the gunman.
Later that day, around 5:45 p.m., two Philadelphia Police officers in a marked vehicle were driving near Blount’s home along the 3300 block of N. 10th Street. Blount allegedly pulled out a gun and opened fire on the two officers.
Four more responding officers spotted Blount who fired at them as well, investigators said. The officers fired back and wounded Blount who was taken to Temple University Hospital.
After obtaining a search warrant, police found a fired cartridge casing, a 9mm Ruger firearm, and additional ammunition. Investigators determined the same gun they found in Blount’s vehicle was used in the shooting that killed Masciulli.
“Every homicide is a tragedy, but it is particularly shocking when this level of violence occurs in a place that we want to believe is safe – our workplaces, our schools, our houses of worship,” Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said. “The victim in this case had been an employee of FedEx for 28 years, and he had been assigned to evaluate the readiness of a fellow employee to become a driver for FedEx. When the defendant did not receive a positive evaluation, he decided to retaliate in the worst way possible.”
Blount is currently being held without bail in Philadelphia and will be transferred to the George W. Hill Correctional facility.
