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At approximately 2:20 a.m. Friday, the complainants reported they were in their home on the 1600 block of South Seventh Street when sounds of breaking glass woke them, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detective Division said. They went outside and observed an unknown man smashing their windows.
The offender allegedly asked “Where is ‘E?’” and proceeded to walk into the building to search for the figure. The victims ran into their apartment and locked the door, but the individual supposedly kicked their door in, pointed a gun at the first complainant and again demanded to know “E’s” whereabouts. He responded that he just moved to the residence and was not aware of anyone named “E.” He told authorities the man left the abode and went to search for “E” in the back of the building.
At 2:28 a.m., police responded to a vandalism in progress call, with a female officer being the first on location. She observed broken front windows, shattered glass on the ground and an open front door, Tolliver said. She exited her vehicle and walked up to the door, observing the reported offender bleeding from his right hand and glimpsing the handle of a revolver in his waistband. When she confiscated the weapon, the man allegedly left the building on foot, with the officer giving chase until she lost sight of him on Eighth Street.
While authorities were surveying the area for the offender, a witness flagged them down and stated she believed the man they were looking for was in another complainant’s backyard trying to break into her home. They went to that site on the 1600 block of South Eighth Street and observed a man attempting to enter the sliding glass door to the rear of the property.
Authorities detained the individual, and the female officer positively identified him as the one from whom she took the gun. The other complainants then identified him as the one who kicked in their door and pointed a gun. Police arrested Herman Grey, of the 2200 block of Watkins Street, and charged him with possession of an instrument of crime, firearms violations, robbery, burglary, criminal mischief, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.
Contact Managing Editor Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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