With the help of his employees and a customer, a Northeast Philadelphia pizza shop owner jumped into action and helped capture an armed robber who had just shot his wife and daughter, police said.
The suspect, identified by police as 19-year-old Kaleb Bridges, entered Mayfair Pizza along the 7400 block of Frankford Avenue at 8:52 p.m. on Wednesday and demanded money while armed with a gun, according to investigators.
Police said Bridges opened fire, shooting the owner's 34-year-old daughter in the shoulder. The owner then jumped over the counter and tackled Bridges to the ground, according to witnesses. During the struggle, Bridges fired another shot, shooting the owner's 65-year-old wife in the stomach, police said.
Other employees and a customer then helped the owner hold Bridges down until police arrived, according to investigators.
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Responding officers then arrested Bridges and recovered his weapon, police said. He is charged with aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a firearm and related offenses.
The mother and daughter, who are both employees at the store, were taken to the hospital in stable condition. The owner told NBC10 on Thursday his wife was undergoing surgery while his daughter was released and expected to recover.
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Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small praised the pizza shop owner, employees and customer who helped capture the suspect.
“Very, very brave,” Small said. “Nineteen-year-old armed with a gun who just shot two employees and the owner as well as another employee and at least one other customer did intervene and were able to subdue this 19-year-old and hold onto him until police arrived. So very, very brave, and we’re very, very fortunate that our two victims are stable and nobody else was shot.”
On Thursday, residents in the area expressed their outrage over the shooting.
“If you’re gonna take money, take money," Artie, a Mayfair resident who did not reveal his last name, told NBC10. "You don’t shoot anybody. And how you shoot women? And I’m gonna say it again. I would’ve grabbed one of them knives and chopped his f—--g head off!”
The owner said his shop will remain closed for the next several days.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
