A man was shot and killed outside South Philadelphia’s Pat’s King of Steaks after an argument. The shooter, who was said to be a supporter of the Philadelphia Eagles, allegedly shot and killed a supporter of the New York Giants after an argument over football.
Commonly referred to simply as “Pat’s”, the cheesesteak location is a well known Philadelphia landmark. It is located at the intersection of South 9th Street, Wharton Street and East Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia, located just across from rival Geno’s. The business has been in operation since 1930 and is popular with tourists.
A heated argument between the two men ensued a little after 1 AM, according to the store manager. The argument then got physical and one man, reportedly wearing a Philadelphia Eagles jersey, pulled out a gun and fired. The other man was shot while the shooter fled in a van, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. The suspect ultimately surrendered to Philadelphia Police in front of Independence Hall, not far from the Liberty Bell.
The alleged Giants supporter was shot in the torso and immediately rushed to Jefferson Hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries.
The restaurant re-opened hours after the shooting. Police are still searching for the suspect’s girlfriend, who was allegedly driving the van that the suspect fled in.
Philadelphia is currently undergoing a massive spike in violent crime and is on pace to surpass 500 murders in 2021. To date, the city has already recorded more homicides on the year than in any year from 2013 through 2016.