PHILADELPHIA — The crew at Pat's Steaks was back to business Thursday morning just hours after a deadly argument between two customers turned the iconic South Philadelphia cheesesteak spot into a crime scene.
Around 1 a.m., police say, two men were fighting in the outdoor dining area where East Passyunk Avenue crosses 9th Street. Things got out of hand and police say one of the two men grabbed a gun and fired a single shot at the other man, hitting him in the lower back.
Pat's and its neighbor Geno's Steaks are a popular tourist attraction. A man who lives nearby said he was surprised a man was gunned down there because of how busy the intersection is at all hours of the day.
"I find it weird that it happened here at Pat's, because it's a 24-hour business. It's kids 24/7 here. So it’s like, it happened right so close to home," he said.
Police say the shooter hopped into a van, and the driver took him away.
The 23-year-old victim lay near the red benches outside of the cheesesteak institution, as EMTs arrived. Cops took him to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
Police investigating overnight got word that the alleged shooter was at a location near 5th and Market streets in Old City. Officers went there and took that man into custody.
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Police have not released the identity of the suspect, saying only that he has red hair and was wearing an Eagles jersey. One Pat's employee told KYW Newsradio that the fight might have been about the Eagles and whatever team the victim was rooting for.
The van that carried the suspect away from the shooting scene was not there. Police are looking for the woman who they believe was in the driver's seat. There is no word yet about charges being filed.
There are many surveillance cameras in the popular tourist area where Pat's is located. Those cameras helped lead police to a suspect in another shooting at Pat's in December. Investigators said that incident was also sparked by a fight between customers, but no one was hit in that shooting.
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CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story indicated that the victim died at the scene. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.