Dollar General manager fatally shoots would-be robber in North Philly, police say

A 36-year-old man was fatally shot by a Dollar General manager during an attempted robbery inside a store Thursday night in North Philadelphia, police said.

Around 8:40 p.m., the suspect entered the Dollar General located at 901 W. Girard Ave. and demanded money from a female employee at the cash register, said Inspector D.F. Pace.

The suspect implied he had a gun in a jacket pocket, Pace said.

Police discovered later that it was a toy gun covered by a black plastic bag that was held in place with rubber bands, Pace said.

The female employee asked for the store manager’s help, and the manager tried to talk the suspect out of continuing the attempted robbery, Pace said.

The suspect apparently refused to back down and the store manager then produced a handgun from a concealed holster, Pace said, describing what was recorded on store surveillance video.

It was unclear if the suspect revealed his fake gun from his pocket, but he appeared to gesture in a threatening way and the store manager fired two shots, Pace said.

The suspect, who was not identified, was shot in the head and was pronounced dead at the scene by responding medics. No one else was injured.

The store manager, who has a permit to carry a concealed firearm, and the other employee were taken by police for questioning, Pace said.

In other gun violence Thursday night, a 15-year-old boy was shot in the head and right side of his body around 9:10 p.m. in the city’s Wissinoming section, police said.

The shooting occurred in the area of Mulberry and Devereaux Streets. The teen was taken by police to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital. He was reported in extremely critical condition.

Police received preliminary information that two males suspected in the shooting also attempted a gunpoint robbery a short time earlier in Mayfair.