Woman Walking by Philly Creek Finds Gunshot Victim's Body

Police said a woman discovered a gunshot victim’s body while walking on a trail by Frankford Creek in Philadelphia Sunday night.

Around 8 p.m. she spotted the body of a man lying on concrete next to a ravine, police said. He appeared to be unresponsive.

Inspector D. F. Pace said the woman went back toward the road and flagged down a passing medic on East Wingohocking Street between Adams and Castor avenues.

The medic unit determined the man, appearing to be in his 20s, was shot at least one time in the head, Pace said. The medics then called police.

Philadelphia Police tell me they are investigating a likely homicide after a man in his 20s was found by a passerby in the 1500 block of East Wingohocking.

Police say the man was shot at least once in the head in a remote area near a ravine by Frankford Creek. @NBCPhiladelphia

— Brian Sheehan (@BSheehanTV) June 20, 2022

It required specialized equipment from the fire department to retrieve the man’s body, police said, as it was in a remote spot several yards below an overpass.

Police said the man had been shot at point-blank range at least once, maybe two times. Bullet casings were found inches from his body.

The victim had a semiautomatic handgun in his waistband, as well, Pace said, but did not have any identification on him.

Investigators said his body was near the base of some rungs embedded into the concrete wall of the overpass. The rungs are along the walls of the creek, about every block, so people can climb up and down to the water.

Entering Monday, there were at least 230 homicides in Philadelphia this year, down 11% from the same time last year which was ultimately the deadliest in the city on record.