PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A 17-year-old girl was shot and killed Sunday in Frankford. Philadelphia police are looking for her killer. They say they believe the girl was targeted in the attack.
Teryn Johnson walked to the 7-Eleven at Bridge Street and Oxford Avenue with her friend and her friend’s dog on Sunday night. Around 8:30 p.m., Capt. Jason Smith said, they saw a vehicle that was suspicious to them.
“They thought they were being followed by this vehicle, and in fact they were,” Smith said.
Related Video: Police Surveillance
Investigators, citing witnesses, said the girls made eye contact with someone in a dark-colored Dodge, but no words were exchanged. The girls started to walk home and got about a half-block away, to Horrocks Street, near Bridge Street.
The car continued to follow them, Smith said, and a man jumped out and fired several times, striking Johnson once in the chest. She and her friend tried to run from the gunfire, said police, but she collapsed and the dog ran away.
Related
Johnson died a short time later at the hospital. Her friend was not physically harmed.
“It certainly appears our decedent was specifically targeted,” Smith said.
At least six shots were fired, and some of the bullets hit parked cars, said police. They do not know how many people were in the car or what the motive was.
“Usually you walk with friends to try to enhance your safety,” said Inspector D.F. Pace early Monday morning. “So this is a very tragic situation all around. We’re gonna get to the bottom of it.”
Police are now searching for surveillance video, and they urge anyone who may have seen something, or who knows something about the shooting, to come forward and call the Philadelphia Police Department with a tip.
To submit a tip via telephone or text message: 215-686-TIPS. To submit a tip via email, including a photo or video, send to tips@phillypolice.com. Officials stress that tips can be sent anonymously.
Related
“We do work with the [district attorney’s] office as best as we can to assist with relocation if need be,” said Commissioner Danielle Outlaw.
The city offers a standing $20,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case of a homicide.