PHILADELPHIA, PA – Police in Philadelphia have managed to apprehend and identify a suspect believed to be responsible for shooting a seven-month-old infant. The incident took place on Thursday in the Holmesburg neighborhood, with 28-year-old Dominique Billips now facing charges.
Surveillance footage acquired by Action News captures the shocking moment when the assailant nonchalantly approaches a baby and his parents outside their home before opening fire. The mother can be heard crying in despair after the shots were fired. The infant sustained a gunshot wound to the leg.
After reaching the scene, officers didn’t immediately find the parents. Lieutenant Denis Rosenbaum of the Philadelphia police explained that the parents initially went to the hospital but left due to fear of outstanding warrants. However, police later managed to question the parents, during which they learned about a prior altercation that occurred on the 7900 block of Frankford Avenue.
Business surveillance footage from that location offered a clearer image of the suspect. The dispute, according to police, originated from an unpaid $100 narcotics debt. Interestingly, footage of the female involved bore a resemblance to the victim of another shooting incident from August 2022.
Once police were tipped off about the suspect’s name, which matched the previous shooting victim, they could locate Billips. Highway patrol helped officers trace a vehicle that was seen in the surveillance video and known to be Billips. The vehicle was found on Loretto Street, and a subsequent stop led the police to Billips’ location on Van Kirk. Billips was arrested without any incident.
The baby, who is presently stable, was being readied for discharge from the hospital into the family’s custody. It appears that the parents’ outstanding warrants are nonviolent in nature.
Billips is now facing criminal charges, including aggravated assault and other related offenses.