UPDATE: May 16, 2023
Corey Curtis has pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and possession of an instrument in a crime as part of a plea deal. The other charges of attempted murder, assault, reckless endangerment, and discharge of a firearm in an occupied structure were withdrawn by prosecutors. Curtis is expected to be sentenced in July.
Original story follows:
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A delivery driver was critically shot three times in Center City on Thursday afternoon over a road rage parking dispute, according to police.
It occurred at 17th and Chestnut streets just before 2 p.m. Police were looking for a man and woman in connection with the shooting. Corey Curtis, 31, turned himself in Friday morning.
Capt. John Walker said a car, with the man and woman inside, was parked legally on Chestnut Street when a delivery driver double-parked, illegally boxing them in. The driver of the parked car wanted to leave, but the delivery driver ignored them and proceeded to pick up food from a restaurant on that block.
When the delivery driver returned, the man from the legally parked car was still there, and an argument and physical altercation broke out between the two men.
“The driver of the food delivery service punches the guy who was getting into his legally parked car, knocking him to the ground,” said Walker. “After a few seconds, he comes to and appears that he pulls a gun out.”
Then, Walker said, the driver of the parked-in car pulled out a gun and shot the delivery driver three times. Police said he was shot three times: once in the face, once in the arm and once in the abdomen. He was taken to the hospital, where he is in critical condition.
Police initially reported two people shot but later confirmed only the delivery driver was injured.
The delivery driver attempted to drive himself to the hospital — allowing the man and woman in the other car to get out of the parking spot and flee.
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A passerby attempted to help the delivery driver get the rest of the way to the hospital, Walker said.
Police say Curtis has been charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and related charges.