Armed man barricaded on SEPTA bus in Fox Chase; police probe possible link to East Mount Airy double killing

Police in Northeast Philadelphia spent Monday morning in a standoff with an armed man who refused to leave a SEPTA Route 18 bus in the Fox Chase neighborhood, and investigators said he may be tied to the shooting deaths of two women in East Mount Airy a few hours earlier, local outlets reported.

A SEPTA spokesperson told The Philadelphia Inquirer that the trouble began around 5 a.m., as the driver reached the end of the line at the Fox Chase Loop, near Loney Street, to let the last rider off. One man stayed in his seat and asked the driver to summon police. Once officers showed up, he produced a handgun, the Inquirer reported. The driver was able to exit without harm.

Outlets gave somewhat different details on time and place. 6abc said officers were dispatched to the 7900 block of Oxford Avenue at about 5 a.m. after a report of an armed man. NBC10, citing SEPTA officials, said the barricade started near Rhawn Street around 5:49 a.m., with nobody else on the bus by then.

According to 6abc, the man allegedly told the driver he had just shot two people.

The killings took place at a home on Williams Avenue, in the 8200 block, in East Mount Airy. The Inquirer reported that fire crews answering a call there at roughly 3:43 a.m. found two women with gunshot wounds and carried them out. Both were brought to Albert Einstein Medical Center, where one died at 4:26 a.m. and the other at 4:40 a.m., per the Inquirer. NBC10 and 6abc reported that both women had head wounds. One line in 6abc's report placed the fire response near 4 p.m., which does not match the early-morning timeline given elsewhere, including in 6abc's own coverage.

The outlets differed on how firmly police linked the two incidents. The Inquirer quoted police as saying the man is connected to the deaths. NBC10 and CBS Philadelphia said police believe he may be connected. 6abc reported that officials had not formally linked the scenes and that the man faced no charges.

NBC10 reported the standoff was continuing as of roughly 8:45 a.m. and that police had not said whether anyone was injured at the bus. The Inquirer quoted a SEPTA spokesperson describing a standstill between officers and the man. CBS Philadelphia reported SWAT teams were on scene.

Nearby roads were blocked off, and SEPTA rerouted rail and bus service around the Fox Chase Loop hub, according to the Inquirer.

The situation remained active, and no outlet had released the names of the man or the two women.

Compiled by True News from reporting by CBS Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 6abc Action News and NBC10 Philadelphia. Each outlet's original story is linked below.

Originally published by True News: https://truenews.bagleyenterprises.net/stories/79