The Philadelphia Daily News
PHILADELPHIA — A Philadelphia police officer’s brother is being credited with apprehending an enraged bar patron who allegedly shot four men on the streets of South Philadelphia yesterday.
The violence began when David DiPrimo, 24, of 11th Street near Huntingdon, North Philadelphia, and an unidentified man got into an argument at McDaniel’s bar on 2nd Street near Snyder Avenue yesterday morning, said police spokesman Sgt. Ray Evers.
When the man left the bar with three other unidentified men about 2 a.m., DiPrimo, who was walking on the opposite side of Snyder Avenue near 3rd Street, opened fire on all four, police said.
A 22-year-old man was grazed in the back and another 22-year-old man was shot in his right shoulder.
Both were taken to Methodist Hospital, Evers said.
Both have since been released.
The other two men were not as fortunate.
One of them, a 24-year-old, was shot twice in the stomach.
The other, a man in his mid-20s, was shot four times in the chest, police said.
Both are listed in critical condition at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
Following the shooting, DiPrimo tried to escape by running south on 3rd Street, said Sgt. Sal Scarduzio with South Detectives.
DiPrimo didn’t get far before the 48-year-old brother of a Philadelphia police officer came out of his house to check on the commotion, Evers said.
“This other witness intervenes, or tries to intervene,” Scarduzio said.
“DiPrimo then attempts to pull the trigger on him but the gun failed to discharge.”
Scarduzio, who didn’t disclose the name of the good Samaritan, said that police have recovered the firearm and are attempting to determine if the gun jammed or if DiPrimo was simply out of bullets.
“This male disarms the bad guy and holds him for police until police arrive and lock him up,” Evers said.
Scarduzio said that DiPrimo was being treated at an undisclosed area hospital yesterday for wounds that are believed to have stemmed from the initial argument.
He said he expected DiPrimo to be charged with aggravated assault and related crimes, possibly up to and including attempted murder.
Copyright 2008 The Philadelphia Daily News