Suicide attempt fails at South Philadelphia gun range

Posted: June 21, 2012

A 26-YEAR-OLD man remains in critical condition after attempting suicide at the Philadelphia Archery and Gun Club in South Philadelphia Monday afternoon, police said.

Police and medics responded to the club on Ellsworth Street near 9th about 1:45 p.m. The unidentified man shot himself in his head, and was taken by medics to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, said Officer Tanya Little, a Police Department spokeswoman.

Employees at the shop Tuesday night spoke over the sound of guns being fired in the background, and said they were unaware of anyone being injured there on Monday afternoon. However, neighbors took to an online message board to ask each other why police cars and ambulances were outside the club Monday afternoon.

At least two other people have gone to a gun range to commit suicide in the area within the past year.

Last Aug. 22, a 22-year-old West Chester man shot himself in the head at the Targetmaster Indoor Firearm Range and Gun Shop on Wilmington-West Chester Pike in Concord Township. And on Feb. 14, a 25-year-old man killed himself in the restroom at the same club. n

Contact Phillip Lucas at 215-854-5914, lucasp@phillynews.com, or follow @UnPhiltered on Twitter. Read his blog at phillyconfidential.com.

|
|
|
|
|