On Thursday, 11:15 pm, an elderly man in Philadelphia, Henry Joel, 71, turned the tables on two would-be robbers in North Philadelphia.
Henry Joel, who is a licensed security guard, was picking up an order of Chinese food when he was confronted by the two men. He pulled out his revolver and exchanged fire with the suspects, emptying his gun during the incident.
“At night, I would keep my hand on my pistol in my pocket in case I have to pull it out,” 71-year-old Henry Joel told ABC 6. “It finally came to reality that I had to use it.”
The gunfire left Joel with a gunshot wound in his ankle and he was taken to Temple University Hospital in stable condition. The suspects fled the scene on foot and are still at large.
“They raised a gun to begin shooting. I raised mine, and we just started shooting,” Joel told ABC 6 from his hospital room. “I don’t know if I hit one of them, but I’m pretty sure I hurt them because they were in the area I was at, basically, and I got shot in the bottom part of the leg, which broke my bone.”
Philadelphia’s Chief Inspector Scott Small said, “We do know that the 71-year-old victim fired multiple shots. Unknown at this time if he struck any of these two perpetrators, but we’re checking area hospitals at this time.”
The incident has raised some concern in the community, particularly among residents who have experienced similar violence. Renee Dixon, a neighbor in the area, said she was shot in the same neighborhood in 2013 when she was pregnant.
“I got shot in 2013, right at the corner. This is the age we’re living in,” she said. “I’m upset about it. He’s a good guy. He didn’t deserve it.”
The Philadelphia Police are currently conducting an investigation into the incident. They are looking for the two suspects and asking anyone with information to come forward.
Henry Joel is a licensed security guard and carries a gun for protection. He has expressed his gratitude for being able to defend himself and his relief that he was able to empty his gun and protect himself and his property.