Three men suspected of funneling illegal guns to the streets of Philadelphia were arrested yesterday and charged
. In announcing the indictment of the trio, U.S. Attorney Patrick L. Meehan said investigators were trying to trace the weapons they sold to an undercover agent back to their legal origins to determine whether they had been stolen or purchased for black-market sale.
The undercover agent purchased 22 guns – including 15 semiautomatic pistols – during the sting operation set up by a task force involving the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Philadelphia police, and the state police.
INQUIRER: Smells Like Rounding Up The ‘Usual Suspects, But At The Very Least There’s 22 Guns In This City That Won’t Kill Tonight
CBS3: “Authorities said a 16-year-old girl was shot once in the head while inside a crowded home in the 4900 block of Hoopes Street at about 11:45 p.m.”
KYW: “A 26-year-old male was shot in the neck and face was pronounced dead at the scene. An 18-year-old female suffered gunshot wounds to the back and shoulder and was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Detectives said the shooting marks the city’s 129th homicide of 2007.”
CBS3: “Authorities said the bodies of two females in their late 30s were found in the 2100 block of S. 7th Street just before 7:30 a.m. Thurdsay. The two victims were stabbed multiple times, investigators said. The deadly incident marks the 131st and 132nd homicides in the city of Philadelphia.”