2 teens fatally shot blocks apart in SW Philly, part of holiday weekend violence in city

Candles and photos were placed on the sidewalk and red and black balloons were caught Monday in the overhead power lines on the 5800 block of Angora Terrace, remnants of the vigil for a 17-year-old rapper killed on the Southwest Philadelphia street Friday night.

Less than two blocks away, on the 6000 block of Angora, police tape fluttered from a chain-link fence, marking the site of another fatal shooting Sunday night that claimed the life of an 18-year-old man.

Police did not say Monday whether the two shootings, which remained under investigation, were connected. But police cruisers idled on each block of Angora in the wake of the weekend’s violence, a tactic the department often uses in an attempt to stave off any potential retaliatory attacks.

The fatal shootings took place during a Presidents’ Day weekend in Philadelphia when police reported five homicides, five stabbings, and five nonfatal shootings through Monday afternoon. In addition to the two teens killed in Southwest Philadelphia, two teen girls were wounded by gunfire on Monday, police said.

Officials had not identified any of the victims as of Monday afternoon.

Nichelle Collins said her grandson, Tauhid Collins, was the teen gunned down Friday night on the 5800 block of Angora. During a brief interview on her porch Monday morning, she said she heard the gunshots — which police said occurred around 10:44 p.m. Friday — and ran out to see Tauhid bleeding on the pavement.

“I fell out in the street,” said Collins, who called her grandson “an inspiring rapper.” On Instagram, Tauhid went by Tata Chapo and posted links to his music videos on YouTube.

Police released few additional details about the shooting, saying only that Collins — who they said was 17 — had suffered gunshot wounds to the neck, back, and lower torso, and that responding officers took him to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was declared dead at 4:45 a.m. Saturday.

The second shooting on Angora, on the 6000 block, happened at 7:26 p.m. Sunday, according to police. An 18-year-old man was found with gunshot wounds to the neck, right temple, and right ear, and responding officers took him to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was declared dead at 7:40 p.m., police said.

Police did not report an arrest in either case.

The holiday weekend violence in the city continued Monday on Presidents’ Day.

In Kingsessing around 12:55 a.m. Monday, police said, a 16-year-old girl was found on the 5600 block of Whitby Avenue with gunshot wounds to the neck, left ear, left hand, and left wrist. She was taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and listed in critical but stable condition, police said.

Later Monday morning, around 10:20, a 12-year-old boy shot a 14year-old girl in the face while playing in the basement of his home on the 2000 block of Glendale Avenue in Rhawnhurst, police said.

Lt. Dennis Rosenbaum of Northeast Detectives said the girl and her friend, also 14 and both from Lansdale, slept over at the house because they were friends with the boy and his 7-year-old relative, a girl from the church group. None of them had school Monday.

While hanging out in the basement in the morning, Rosenbaum said, the boy began playing with several of four loaded guns in the house. When he pulled out a handgun, he pointed it at the 14-year-old girl and pulled the trigger.

The girl was taken to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital, where she was listed in stable condition.

Rosenbaum said police were recommending charges against the boy and added that they were planning to investigate charges against the adult owners of the firearms.

Rosenbaum did not say who owned the weapons but said the boy’s mother, uncle, and grandparents lived in the house. Although the guns appeared to have been legally purchased, they had been left unsecured, he said.

Staff writer Joseph A. Gambardello contributed to this article.