Father Shot Twice While Defending Family From Armed Robbers
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – A father in Frankford fights back against two men who stormed his home overnight with his wife and four daughters inside.
One suspect is dead and another is on the run.
Shattered glass on the porch of the home are remnants of a wild and terrifying night for the family of six.
A gun battle in their own living room left one intruder dead, a father seriously hurt, and residents who live on the block stunned.
Freddie Camera says, "When you hear loud bangs like that you just get alert and you look out the window, see if everyone's safe out there, basically and it was disturbing."
Police say the family had returned home to the 1900 block of Pratt Street around 11 Monday night.
There was a knock on the door and two men forced their way inside.
Chief Inspector Scott Small says, "There was a struggle between the 27-year-old homeowner and these two males. One of the perpetrators did shoot the homeowner two times, in his mouth and his leg."
Small says the homeowner managed to return fire, fatally shooting one of the men in the head.
The other ran off.
The violence all unfolded as the man's wife and four young daughters, ages four, three, one and five months, were upstairs getting ready for bed.
"We're still very fortunate that is wife, nor any of his four children, were struck by gunfire or injured in any way."
"I know of someone came into my house, I'm going to protect my family to the fullest, that's all I can say."
Neighbors say they are baffled as to why the quiet, family man they know as Ruben was targeted in the first place.
"He's a great, quiet guy. Goes to work comes home, brings his family. Every morning I see him, he takes his children to school. I greet him in the morning that's about it."
At last check, the homeowner was in serious condition at Hahnemann Hospital.
Police are still looking for the second suspect who ran off.
There are several cameras on the block and detectives are hoping the video will help ID a suspect.
