Center City shooting in Philadelphia leads to Lauren Jardine shot dead with her own gun after attempting to intervene in argument between man & girlfriend after man taking out screwdriver only for the boyfriend to wrestle gun away and shoot victim dead.
A woman walking along a Philadelphia intersection was shot and killed after she pulled out a gun only to be shot dead with her own weapon after she sought to intervene after noticing a man wielding a screwdriver against his girlfriend.
Lauren Jardine, 33, was walking along 12th and Chestnut Streets in Center City, Philly on Friday around 5.45 p.m, when she stopped to intercede after noticing John Kelly, 45, holding a screwdriver and arguing with his girlfriend outside a 7-Eleven store.
Center City shooting suspect has charges downgraded
Surveillance video (see below) obtained by The Philadelphia Inquirer shows the couple arguing as Jardine — attempting to intervene — pulled out a firearm she was ‘illegally’ carrying and drawing it on Kelly. Footage shows the two struggle over the firearm before Kelly grabs the weapon off the woman and fires it at her, striking her multiple times.
Jardine was taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital where she was later pronounced dead, police said.
Kelly who had initially faced murder charges over the incident had charges on Tuesday downgraded to voluntary manslaughter based on new evidence CBS News reported. The DA’s office didn’t provide any details on the new evidence from police.
Kelly was also charged with multiple weapons charges, possession of an instrument of crime and other related offenses in the shooting death of Jardine.
Philadelphia crime
Locals told Action News that Kelly was known to cause disturbances at the intersection, including on the day of the shooting. ‘When I was walking to the gym, he was screaming down the street,’ said Timo Dubynin-Moore.
The DA’s office said it’s working with Jardine’s family and offering support throughout the investigation.
According to Jardine’s family, the 33 year old was working towards getting her GED.
According to data from 6abc’s data team, fewer than 5% of shooting victims in the past year were shot in the 9th District, which includes Center City.
