Tow truck driver killed, woman hurt in Northeast Philly shooting, police say
Jan 11, 2026
Police said they are searching for suspects after a man was killed and a woman was critically injured in a shooting in Northeast Philadelphia on Sunday night.
According to police, the incident occurred at about 7:52 p.m. on Sunday, along the 2100 block of Knorr Avenue, when a silver or grey Hond
a pulled up alongside a tow truck and shot at the man and woman inside.
The man, identified by police as 25-year-old Aaron Whitfield, of the city’s East Mount Airy neighborhood, was shot in the head and body, officials said.
He was pronounced at the scene, according to police.
A 21-year-old woman who was in the tow truck at the time suffered a gunshot wound to her leg and police said, she has been hospitalized in stable condition.
Police believe there were possibly two shooters, and that the man was getting out of the tow truck to buy something at a nearby store when the shooting occurred.
“It looks like two persons opened fire on that truck on the passenger side of that truck, striking both occupants,” said Philadelphia Police Inspector DF Pace.
It is not entirely clear what the man was heading toward, but the truck was parked outside Smokers World, police said.
According to police, there were around 15 to 20 spent shell casings recovered at the scene, with at least two of the shots going through a window for the senior living center on the second floor of the building the truck parked in front of.
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“There were multiple people inside when those bullets came through those windows,” Pace said. “Fortunately, no one on that floor was injured.”
Police are still looking for the suspects and have not determined a motive, but they believe at least one of the people shot was targeted.
“Clearly, one or both of those individuals inside that vehicle were being targeted by the shooters,” Pace said.
This is a developing story; check back for more updates.
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