Two men’s claims of self-defense in South Philly double homicide are under scrutiny

Two roommates who fatally shot two men who kicked in the door of their South Philadelphia apartment building Monday afternoon remained in police custody Tuesday as investigators examined their contention that they had acted in self-defense.

Police continue to investigate the gunfire that erupted just after 1:30 p.m. in the 1600 block of South 10th Street in the Passyunk Square neighborhood, said Philadelphia Homicide Capt. Jason Smith.

The roommates, two men ages 22 and 23, were being questioned in the fatal shootings of Dresean Jefferson, 18, and Richard Taylor, 33, said Smith.

Smith said Jefferson and Taylor were unarmed when they kicked in the common door of the two-apartment rowhouse where the roommates lived on the ground floor. “There was an apparent argument, but the circumstances surrounding that argument still are not clear at this time,” he said.

Taylor was shot 10 times, and Jefferson was shot eight times, police said. They were rushed to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.

Smith said there may have been a racial aspect to the crime. Jefferson, who was Black, had argued with the 23-year-old shooter, who is Asian, he said.

They first clashed over the phone Monday, hurling racial slurs back and forth, Smith said, after the 23-year-old accused Jefferson of harassing a friend of his.

Later in the day, Jefferson and Taylor showed up at the South 10th Street apartment, kicked in the common front door, entered the first-floor hallway, and began banging on the roommates’ apartment door, he said.

The 23-year-old called his roommate, who quickly arrived, wearing a ski mask and latex gloves, according to video evidence, Smith said. That roommate opened fire, Smith said, striking Taylor eight times in the hallway.

Smith said the 22-year-old told police one of the victims reached for his waistband to retrieve a gun, but Smith said no weapons were recovered from either of the victims.

The 22-year-old fled the scene after shooting Taylor but returned a short time later without the mask and gloves and wearing different clothes, Smith said.

Jefferson, meanwhile, ran to the basement to escape the gunfire and was pursued by the 23-year-old roommate, who shot him 10 times, Smith said.

“Supposedly, he says he was threatened by the unarmed Mr. Jefferson,” the homicide captain said.

Jane Roh, a spokesperson for the District Attorney’s Office, said the shootings are “still a very active investigation.”