Posted on 05/19/2005 3:30:06 PM PDT by ShadowDancer
Building Cameras Catch Philly Killing On Tape
POSTED: 8:29 am EDT May 17, 2005 UPDATED: 2:46 pm EDT May 19, 2005
PHILADELPHIA -- Police in Philadelphia want to know who the person was caught on camera shooting a woman in the side of the head at a bus stop.
Officers Thursday were handing out a police sketch (pictured, left) of a man who they believe rode on the same bus with the woman. They described him as a "person of interest" and said they hope he might have seen something that will help them identify the killer of Patricia McDermott, 48.
The shooter followed McDermott after she got off a bus on her way to work at Pennsylvania Hospital.
The shooting was recorded by post office surveillance cameras before daybreak Tuesday. Police have released images of the crime in hopes that someone will have more information.
Police also released surveillance photos Wednesday that show the last moments of the hospital technician's life and the gunman who shot her in the head. Detectives said that the video was very disturbing.
Authorities said the photos show a man approaching McDermott from behind, firing a shot, and then fleeing toward a nearby parking lot.
The FBI and NFL Films helped police enhance the surveillance video.
Police don't have a motive, aren't sure if the gunman had been on the bus, and don't know if the shooter and woman knew each other.
The woman's husband is disabled and they have a 16-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son.
"She was certainly targeted for some reason, even if that person didn't know her. But, she wasn't the only one getting off the bus at 9th Street, so that, alone, suggests that this person, for whatever reason, decided he wanted to make her his target," said Capt. Richard Ross, of the Philadelphia Police Department.
Ross said police still don't know if the killing was random, or if the mother of two knew her killer.
"He's just walking behind her. He turns the corner, he catches up with her, but it doesn't appear that he is engaging her in any conversation," Ross said.
The woman's body was found by a delivery driver just before 5 a.m. Tuesday lying on the pavement near the post office building.
Police believe the killer might also have been on the same bus as the victim and left by the back door, but they are not sure.
A second surveillance camera caught the man's escape after he shot McDermott, and police are checking to see if other area businesses may have captured the man's image after he ran through the a nearby parking lot.
Detectives are checking with McDermott's co-workers, but they said they found no sign of trouble there.
Police described the killer as having a light to medium complexion, in his mid- to late 30s, and wearing a ball cap and a light-colored shirt.
Investigators said they don't think that robbery was the motive. Philadelphia police asked anyone who may have any information about McDermott's shooting -- no matter how insignificant it may seem -- to call them.
McDermott's brother-in-law could not offer any explanation for why anybody would want to kill her.
"Patricia loved everybody. She didn't have a dime in her pocket and she was supporting two kids. This shouldn't have happened to anybody, let alone her," said Bob Moran.
Hospital officials released an official statement: "We are shocked and saddened by the tragic events this morning involving Trish McDermott. She was a well loved colleague."
It's terrible how cameras monitoring public places are being used to violate people's privacy.</sarcasm>
TROP?
Yea I mean sheesh, ya can't even kill somebody these days without someone looking over your shoulder. It's tyranny I tell ya!! Big Brother!!
;-)
It won't be so funny when they start using cameras to arrest people for smoking on the public street.
Think of it this way. If there was a bank surveillance camera you walked by every workday for five years, you could watch the film and actually see yourself age.
I smoke and I'll be damned glad if it catches this bastard. Get your perspectives in order.
Go smoke in your own house and keep that nasty crap away from where I have to walk.
NFL Films??
Yeah, I own a store and just busted a "trusted" employee stealing over $2,000.00 worth of goods while being video'd.
What a moron (btw, she is/was a huge dem and kerry supporter...so much for hiring the mentally challenged).
The artists drawing makes the perp look almost white, while in the video capture it's clear that he isn't.
The artist should be shot.
enhanced video?
I'm guessing the FBI has the capablities of zooming in on the video during a still frame. Then again, this is the government we're talking about so maybe not.
When they talk about the depth of color in a person's complexion, they are talking about an African-American. Could be Muslim, of course, but no reason to suppose that.
Well I guess only time will tell.
Except that random killings of infidels is something they have done in the past.
I've seen white suspects and hispanics described that way in the press.
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