The man, later identified as Vanna "Tiny" Sok, 25, later died at Albert Einstein Medical Center. Police said the other suspected shooter in that gunbattle — which police believed stemmed from another shooting in January — was arrested later Sunday.
Police spokesman Lt. Raymond Evers said the threats were just rumors, but supervisors said they were taking them seriously.
Sources said the threats started Wednesday, and investigators on Thursday interviewed a neighborhood source familiar with the situation.
"Actually interviewing somebody is different than someone on the street just saying, ‘I'm gonna kill a cop,'" one police supervisor told the Daily News.
Sources said investigators were exploring the possibility that Sunday's gunbattle was retaliation for the Jan. 31 murder of Sophos Siv, 40, who was tied up, severely beaten and fatally shot inside his home on Ruscomb Street near 2nd. Sources said police believe the violence is a result of a clash between gangs in the neighborhood.
In the 35th District, which encompasses both locations, sources said some police cruisers were stocked with shotguns and automatic rifles. When police were called to either location, they were required to respond with two units and a supervisor — five officers total.
Police supervisors decided against flooding the blocks in question with cops.
"We're trying not to incite a confrontation," a supervisor said. "But we're also not gonna turn around and run away."
Contact Morgan Zalot at 215-854-5928 or zalotm@phillynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @morganzalot and read her blog, PhillyConfidential.com.
