Yahoo Finance ‘Football Argument’ Ends in Killing at Iconic Philly Cheesesteak Spot Pat’s King of Steaks
A Philadelphia Eagles fan allegedly shot and killed a New York Giants supporter as they were waiting in line at iconic Philadelphia cheesesteak joint Pat’s King of Steaks early Thursday morning.
The two men got into a heated argument about football around 1 a.m., according to the store’s manager. As the quarrel intensified, it got physical and one man, wearing an Eagles jersey, pulled out a gun and shot the other before fleeing in a van, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The Eagles fan ultimately surrendered to police near another City of Brotherly Love landmark: the Liberty Bell.
The Giants supporter, who suffered a bullet wound to the torso, was rushed to Jefferson Hospital but ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Freaked-out witnesses at the cheesesteak spot gave police the shooter’s license-plate number.
“We came here just enjoying a typical night,” said Zach Lomas, a New Jersey resident, in an interview with FOX 29. “We were out at the bar. Why are we going to come here and have our lives at risk?”
The restaurant—a favorite of tourists located directly across the street from beef-and-Cheesewhiz archrival Geno’s Steaks—reopened hours after the shooting. The suspect’s girlfriend, who drove the van used to escape the scene, has not been found, according to police.
The bloodshed is emblematic of a continued crime and gun violence spike in Philadelphia, a trend that’s become evident in many large cities across the U.S.
Earlier this month, the city passed a horrific milestone, with more than 10,000 people dead or wounded from gun violence since 2015, according to the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence reporting.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney announced Monday he had no plans to declare a citywide gun violence emergency, a move made recently on the state level by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
At least 300 Philadelphians have been killed due to gun violence alone in 2021, WHYY reports.
WATCH: Breaking: Philadelphia’s most well-known landmarks on both ends of @PhillyPolice homicide case overnight. Man shot&killed at Pat’s Steaks in South Philadelphia. Suspected shooter arrested here in front Independence Hall next to Liberty Bell @FOX29philly pic.twitter.com/Xh99EKuHuW
— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) July 22, 2021
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