N. Phila. ‘hit’ victim identified

A man killed Wednesday night in a shooting with all the earmarks of a hit in North Philadelphia was identified this morning as 23-year-old South Philadelphia resident Dominic Gaines.

Police said Gaines was buying a cigar at a BP gas station on North Broad Street and Glenwood Avenue about 9 p.m. when a masked gunman approached and opened fire, standing over the victim while he pumped bullets into him.

Gaines, hit multiple times, was pronounced dead at 9:17 p.m. at Temple University Hospital, police said.

Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said investigators recovered 13 shell casings at the scene.

The gunman reportedly fled on foot.

Gaines, who lived on the 1200 block of South 19th Street in Point Breeze, had an arrest record, including one for drugs, but no convictions, court records show.

Police also identified the victim of another deadly shooting in North Philadelphia on Wednesday as Lamar Spencer, 21.

Spencer, of the 1200 block of Wallace Street, and another man were gunned down about 1:30 p.m. on the 1900 block of Ridge Avenue, near Girard College, police said.

The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain unclear this morning. The second victim was being treated at Hahnemann University Hospital for a gunshot wound to the leg.