Philadelphia pizza shop employee shoots would-be robber on 15th Street in Spring Garden

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — A Philadelphia pizza shop employee shot an armed robbery suspect who had just targeted a nearby pharmacy minutes earlier, police say.

Police say the series of incidents unfolded around 9:30 p.m. Thursday when three men robbed the CVS pharmacy at North Broad and Spring Garden in the Spring Garden section of the city.

Moments later, police say at least one of those men went a block away to rob the pizza shop at 15th and Spring Garden.

However, once inside, an employee of the pizza shop shot the would-be robber in the face.

Officers responded to that shooting and say there was clearly a robbery.

“There was money on the floor and there was also some broken glass inside the store, and there was also a large amount of blood,” said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small.

Investigators say they followed a trail of blood down the stairs of a SEPTA subway station at Broad and Spring Garden.

Police say that’s where they found the 33-year-old male suspect.

“From following the trail of blood, we also found some cash in the subway where the victim was found,” Small said.

The suspect was rushed to an area hospital where he was placed in critical condition.

According to police, surveillance video from the pharmacy matched the description of the injured suspect.

The man has not been identified. No other injuries were reported.