A customer inside a gentlemen’s club shot a dancer then turned the gun on himself Friday night, police said. The man died the next morning.
"It seems like they had a prior relationship and apparently he asked her to move in with him and she shunned him away," Lt. Joe Dougherty of South Detective Division told the Review.
Lawrence McGuigan, 49, from the 900 block of Tree Street, died at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital at 10:20 a.m. Saturday, Officer Beth Skala of the Police Public Affairs Unit said.
The 31-year-old dancer from Croyden was still in Jefferson Hospital Tuesday, but had been upgraded from critical to stable condition, the officer added.
Shortly after 9 p.m., McGuigan entered Cheerleaders Gentlemen’s Club, 2740 S. Front St., and asked for a semiprivate room with the woman. There, McGuigan pulled a .22-caliber pistol and shot the dancer in the back of the neck before unloading a round into the right side of his head, Skala said.
Investigators are not sure how McGuigan made it into the establishment with the gun, which they recovered at the scene. Detectives talked to the victim’s mother who said her son did not leave a suicide note, Dougherty said.
Cheerleaders referred the press to attorney Marc Raspanti, who did not return several calls.
Shot on street
A wounded man walked into St. Agnes Continuing Care Center after someone gunned him down on the 1500 block of McKean Street at about 11:45 p.m. last Thursday.
Adreese Love, 30, from the 1800 block of Hoffman Street, was transported to Jefferson Hospital, where he died at 12:54 a.m. Friday from gunshots to his torso and left arm, Detective Joe Chiaro of South Detectives said.
Detectives followed a blood trail from St. Agnes to McKean, where they recovered a spent .45-caliber casing outside Noah’s Ark bar on the corner of 15th and McKean.
Inside the tavern, investigators found a .45-caliber weapon in a restroom, police said. Homicide detectives believe the shooting was drug-related as narcotics were found on Love.
To report information, call the Homicide Division at 215-686-3334/5.
Stabbed by robber
When a man fought off a mugger by throwing him to the ground, the teen got up and knifed him. The incident happened at about 12:30 p.m. Sunday on the 700 block of Dickinson Street.
With a stab wound to his right leg, the 44-year-old was treated and released from Methodist Hospital.
The perpetrator had accosted the man and announced a stickup, Detective Joe Chiaro of South Detectives said. The robber, who was described as age 17 to 18 and wearing dark clothing, ran away empty-handed.
To report information, South Detective Division at 215-686-3013.
Bullet nearly hits child
A 7-year-old boy escaped harm when a bullet sailed through a living room window at about 2 p.m. Sunday.
Investigators believe the slug came from a gun battle on the 2000 block of South 20th Street, where they recovered almost a half dozen fired cartridges and projectiles, a source familiar with the case said.
Detectives had no information on the shoot-out that is still under investigation.
To report information, call South Detective Division at 215-686-3013.
Woman assaulted
The Special Victims Unit is investigating a Dec. 5 incident in which a man indecently assaulted a 51-year-old woman while she was walking home from work.
The victim was on the 1700 block of South 18th Street at about 6:25 a.m. when a stranger grabbed her, pulled her down some steps and indecently assaulted her, Sgt. Don O’Hara of the Special Victims Unit said.
The offender was described as black, age 25 to 35, 5-foot-5 to 5-foot-8, with a thin build and medium complexion. He was wearing a gray hoody and dark-colored pants.
To report information, call SVU at 215-685-3264.
Raid nets drugs, packaging equipment
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Something didn’t smelled right, so condo-owners at Dockside Luxury Apartments, 717 S. Columbus Blvd., complained to management.
Dec. 4, Philadelphia police and FBI agents raided a dwelling inside the waterfront high-rise and discovered a marijuana lab, police said. Officials confiscated more than 30 pounds of pot with a street value of $36,000, Officer Yolanda Dawkins of the Police Public Affairs Unit said.
Also seized were 22 large marijuana plants, dozens of jars of dried herbs, chemicals, packaging equipment and heating lamps, police said.
Saji Ravindran, 29, from Upper Darby, was charged with criminal conspiracy, recklessly endangering another person, possession of narcotics and possession of narcotics with the intent to deliver.
Ravindran was a wanted man for an October 2005 incident when police discovered a similar drug operation on the 1200 block of Dover Street. Charges for that alleged crime had not been finalized by press time.
Fire ravages building
Flames forced the evacuation of 11 people from a building at 2019 Juniper St. that housed a garage and Bethany Indonesian Baptist Church.
Less than a half-hour after a fire originated at about 11:10 a.m. Friday inside the second-floor house of worship, firefighters had extinguished the blaze, Fire Chief Daniel Williams said.
Heavy fire ripped holes through the roof of the structure and caused water and smoke damage to Peter Cona Auto Repair downstairs and next door, Williams said.
Cona owner Nick Marcellino told the Review Tuesday night his shop would remain closed for at least a month. "The important thing is nobody was hurt," he said.
The cause of the blaze was a faulty extension cord, the chief said. Evacuees were treated and released from local hospitals for smoke inhalation.
Masked men take car
Wearing dark attire and ski masks, two men carjacked a 48-year-old on the 1500 block of Ringgold Street.
The victim was entering his black, four-door, 1998 Dodge Shelby shortly after 6:30 p.m. Saturday when the duo approached and demanded his car at gunpoint, Detective Joe Chiaro of South Detectives said.
After handing over his car keys, the men drove south on Ringgold.
The offenders were described as black, about age 25 and 6 foot; one was about 180 pounds, the other, 170.
To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013.
Cash stolen from store
Work ‘n Gear, 2715 S. Front St., was held up by two masked men shortly after 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
The pair held a 26-year-old employee at gunpoint and instructed her to open the register, Detective Joe Chiaro of South Detectives said.
With $2,300, the robbers got in a dark-colored truck and fled south on Front Street.
One perpetrator was described as about 6-foot-2 and wearing a black, puffy coat and blue jeans; the other was 5-foot-10 with light brown skin and a black jacket.
To report information, call South Detectives at 215-686-3013.
Activist honored
Lifelong Point Breeze resident and 30-year community activist Harriet Frye-Brown, 67, won the 2006 Governor’s Award for Outstanding Citizen Crime Prevention Volunteer. The resident from the 2300 block of Dickinson Street was honored for her crime-fighting efforts in the community, Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency Coordinator Kathy Clarke said in a press release.
"It kind of represents all of South Philly and all we’re doing," Frye-Brown told the Review. "It’s not just me. It feels good and I appreciate the recognition, but there’s a whole lot of people that it represents."
Frye-Brown also is a block captain, a volunteer at Dixon House Curfew Center, 1920 S. 20th St., and founder of the nonprofit Philadelphia Alliance for Community Improvement.
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All Review police-, court- and fire-related items are collected from or verified by official sources.
Items are roughly prioritized by urgency or news value. If you have already reported an incident or missing person to police and would like to inform us, call crime reporter Lorraine Gennaro at 215-336-2500 ext. 124.
