Man, 60, shoots suspected carjacker, 16, in West Mount Airy

A 60-year-old man shot and wounded an armed teen during a carjacking Thursday night in the city’s West Mount Airy section, police said.

The incident occurred around 7:45 p.m. at Sharpnack and Cherokee Streets, where the 16-year-old boy attempted to take the man’s white Pontiac at gunpoint, police said.

A gun battle ensued and the suspect was shot once in each leg and grazed in the chest. The teen was later apprehended in the area of Germantown Avenue and Slocum Street and taken to Einstein Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition.

At the crime scene, police found two firearms — one belonging to the driver on the hood of the Pontiac and the other on the ground in front of the car, as well as 13 spent shell casings.

The driver, who was not injured, had a license to carry a concealed firearm, police said.

Last year, Philadelphia experienced a dramatic surge in the number of reported carjackings — 757 compared to 404 in 2020.

In December, U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon had her car stolen at gunpoint.

And in recent days, some victims have fought back by shooting their assailants.

Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw addressed the problem at a news conference late Thursday afternoon and on social media Wednesday evening.

“We recognize the fear and uncertainty these incidents bring, as the victims in these cases have touched nearly every demographic,” Outlaw wrote.

She said her department is aggressively confronting the issue with additional resources and a task force dedicated to carjackings.

“Last year, there were 757 reported carjackings in Philadelphia, an increase of 34% over 2020. Out of those 757 reported carjackings, police arrested 150 individuals, clearing 93 investigations through those arrests,” Outlaw wrote.

“While we can expect more arrests and case clearances in the future, we recognize that these statistics are not anywhere close to where we need them to be, and work is underway to minimize these occurrences,” she added.