A West Philadelphia resident fatally shot a man who broke into his car

A West Philadelphia homeowner fatally shot a man Wednesday night after the intruder entered his gated backyard and used a brick to break into his car and threaten him, police said Thursday.

“He was inside the car, and the story that we’re getting is the homeowner felt threatened by the individual who was still holding the brick,” said Philadelphia Homicide Capt. Jason Smith.

During the confrontation shortly after 10:30 p.m. in the back of the home in the 4400 block of Fairmount Avenue, the homeowner used his legally registered handgun to fire three shots at the would-be thief, hitting him at least twice, Smith said.

Parts of the incident were captured on video but not the shooting, he said.

Police found the man a short distance away lying in a vacant lot in the 700 block of North 44th Street. He was taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead soon after.

He has been identified as Nijer James-Murphy, 23, of the 700 block of North 43rd Street, Smith said.

The homeowner, who has not been identified, declined to speak with reporters Thursday but is cooperating with police.

While the District Attorney’s Office will determine if the shooting is a justifiable homicide, preliminarily, it appears the homeowner acted in self-defense, Smith said.

“He has a valid permit, his gun is registered to him, he has no priors, he called the police, he turned the gun over, and he is cooperating. He’s done all the things that a good, outstanding citizen should do,” he said.

The homeowner’s black Alfa Romeo SUV, with a missing driver’s-side front window, remained parked in the back of his house Thursday. A black trash bag covered the empty window.

Police found the brick that James-Murphy used to break the window still in the car, they said.

A next-door neighbor appeared shaken and declined to give her name Thursday while recounting the moments before the shooting.

She said her security camera recorded the intruder in her backyard snooping around and picking up a brick before he walked next door.

“He was checking the whole situation, then he came toward my back door, then he actually took the brick from my yard,” she said.

“It was self-defense,” said the woman, who added that she is frustrated and fearful of frequent prowlers who check car and house doors in the Lucien E. Blackwell Homes, a townhouse community in Mill Creek owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority. The man who shot James-Murphy owns the house where the shooting happened, a PHA spokesperson said.

“It’s all about our safety. He feared for his life, you know. He did what every homeowner should do, protect himself,” she said. “He has the right. You have to, because people are getting crazy here. They are not scared that someone is watching them. They don’t fear the cameras,” said the woman, who added she called the police after seeing the man take a brick from her yard.

“He is a very good neighbor. He has a good job,” she said of the man who shot and killed the intruder. “You never hear anything from him.”