A 14-year-old girl was hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the leg. The suspects remain at large.
Four males in a gold Ford Taurus opened fire on a group of teenagers last Thursday night, wounding one of them, police said.
The vehicle pulled up to the 1600 block of South Latona Street around 7:30 p.m., said Sgt. Steve Biello of South Detective Division. Two of the occupants jumped out, spraying the victim and her friends with bullets.
After flagging down police officers on Operation Safe Streets patrol, the victim was taken to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, from where she was released early this week, said Biello.
Police are still searching for the Taurus and the shooters.
To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013.
Ten years in prison for teen
A Point Breeze teen convicted of drug and firearms possession in federal court last Tuesday will serve 10 years in prison.
Kevin Davis, of the 1100 block of South 18th Street, was accused of pulling a gun on a 17th District officer on Sept. 28, 2001, officials said.
Officer Gilbert Brook opened fire on the 18-year-old, critically wounding him in the legs during the incident, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Curtis Douglas.
Police recovered 19 packets of crack cocaine, $169 and a .38-caliber semi-automatic pistol from last year’s crime scene, Douglas said.
The events of that day began when a police officer in an unmarked car found himself behind a black Honda on South 17th Street, the attorney said.
Davis and four friends were riding in the Honda when the officer noticed gunfire coming from the car. He and several police cruisers gave chase and boxed in the Honda on the 2200 block of Moore Street.
Davis jumped out and ran east on 22nd Street, where he turned and pointed his pistol at Brook, Douglas said.
Davis was the first of five defendants to be sentenced in federal court.
Kevin Mennis, 35, of the 1300 block of South 20th Street, will be sentenced Jan. 7. He faces the same charges as Davis, along with one additional charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm, Douglas said.
Reginald Scott, 24, of the 2200 block of Dickinson Street, faces sentencing Jan. 9. He is charged with the same offenses as Davis.
The driver of the vehicle, Lamar Lloyd, 23, of the 1500 block of Tasker Street, was not federally prosecuted because though he had a gun, he had no prior record, Douglas said.
Emmanuel Skinner, 24, of the 1300 block of South Capital Street, also escaped federal prosecution because he possessed neither drugs nor a weapon, Douglas said.
Onetime mob lawyer sentenced
A once-prominent Philadelphia attorney who numbered Nicodemo "Little Nicky" Scarfo among his clients now joins some of them on the other side of the law.
Common Pleas Judge Carolyn Engel Temin sentenced Oscar Gaskins on Friday to two-and-a-half to five years in prison for scamming more than $555,000 from his clients. The judge also ordered the attorney to serve six years’ probation after his release.
Gaskins, 72, was arrested and charged with the first two scams in February, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
On Sept. 24, the lawyer pleaded guilty to three counts of theft for failing to distribute funds and one count of theft by deception.
The Cherry Hill, N.J., resident was disbarred in that state in 2000 and in Pennsylvania the following year, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Gaskins could begin serving his sentence as early as Jan. 10.
Appetite for crime
Two armed men donning ski masks robbed a deli on Dec. 16, then helped themselves to some lunch, said police.
The hungry thieves entered Deli on the Avenue Number One on the 2100 block of South Norwood Street at 11:10 a.m., said Sgt. Steve Biello of South Detectives.
Brandishing a gun, one of the assailants pushed his way behind the counter and demanded the 74-year-old female employee open the cash register, Biello said.
After swiping $300, the culprit helped himself to six cartons of cigarettes, two loaves of turkey meat and a block of cheese, added the sergeant.
Tree theft needles cops
Police are still trying to figure out how a gang of thieves managed to cart off 85 to 100 trees from a Christmas tree stand at Broad Street and Washington Avenue last week.
Around 2:30 a.m. last Tuesday, an armed man entered the on-site office and held the 24-year-old lot attendant at gunpoint while his two accomplices went to work swiping trees, said Sgt. Steve Biello of South Detectives.
In addition to the trees, the thieves made off with 25 stands and one box of netting, the sergeant said.
To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013.
