Armed carjacker steals minivan with mother, 3 children inside, setting off wild police chase



It all started with a phony pizza order, police said. Then a teenager armed with a semi-automatic gun carjacked a minivan with a mother and three children inside in North Philadelphia this week, setting off an intense police chase involving patrol cars and the city's aviation unit.

What happened?

According to WPVI-TV, Philadelphia police responded to the 2700 block of Warnock Street Tuesday evening after a pizza delivery driver called 911 to report that an armed carjacker had made off with his car.

The delivery driver added that his girlfriend and their three children — an 8-year-old boy, a 6-year-old girl, and a 2-year-old boy — were still inside the blue Chevrolet minivan.

The driver was reportedly conducting a delivery when the incident occurred and said he had just stepped out of his vehicle when the suspect jumped into the passenger seat and drove away. Police said the delivery location turned out to be a vacant lot, confirming the carjacking was not a real delivery — but a setup.

After the driver provided police with a description of the vehicle and its license plate number, officers immediately set off in search of the suspect, later identified as 18-year-old Shaun Triplett. Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said the department's helicopter had already been sent up in the air.

In the meantime, the driver's girlfriend was doing her best to defend herself and her children. She reportedly got into a physical struggle with the teen suspect.

"While she was trying to take the mask off his face, she was actually punching the individual because he was taking the vehicle. That's when, according to her, the 17-year-old started to threaten to kill her," Small said.

During the altercation, she allegedly jumped out of the vehicle, injuring her foot. A block further, her 8-year-old son was let out of the car and was reunited with his parents. But the couple's 6-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son remained asleep in the backseat of the vehicle as Triplett continued driving.

Family kidnapped after armed teen carjacks minivan in North Philadelphia, police say www.youtube.com

What else?

WCAU-TV reported that officers in the helicopter later spotted Triplett jumping out of the driver's seat of the minivan and getting into a white sedan, which sped off.

The police helicopter reportedly continued to follow the white sedan until patrol officers on the ground were able to catch up to the vehicle.

At that point, Triplett swung open the passenger's door of the white sedan and started running. Officers exited their vehicles and chased the suspect on foot, eventually catching him and placing him under arrest.

Police are expected to charge the 18-year-old with carjacking, kidnapping, and weapons violations, along with other related counts.

Amazingly, the delivery driver, his girlfriend, and their three children avoided serious injuries in the incident. According to police, they were able to positively identify Triplett after his arrest.

Authorities also reportedly confirmed with the owner of Campus Pizza that the delivery driver uses his minivan to make deliveries and frequently brings his family with him.

No details were provided about the driver of the white sedan. An investigation into the incident is still ongoing.

Lyft driver with concealed carry license opens fire on armed carjackers, sending them to the hospital



A Lyft driver in Philadelphia who is licensed to carry a firearm thwarted an armed carjacking Monday afternoon by shooting and injuring two suspects as they attempted to steal his vehicle.

The rideshare driver, a 38-year-old man, was transporting a female passenger on the 4200 block of Parkside Avenue in West Philadelphia when he was rear-ended twice by a Honda Accord, WTXF-TV reported.

After being hit for the second time, the driver got out of his 2011 Infiniti sedan to confront the two men, who, according to police, were in their twenties. That's when one of the men allegedly exited his vehicle and pointed a gun at the Lyft driver, demanding possession of his vehicle.

The driver was able to remove his passenger from the vehicle before the carjacker entered the driver's seat. But once the suspect was in control of the vehicle, the Lyft driver — reportedly a licensed concealed firearm carrier — pointed his gun at the man and opened fire, striking him in the chest.

According to Fox News, the driver of the getaway vehicle then tried to run him over, but the Lyft driver was able to shoot him in the right side of his ribcage. Both suspects reportedly drove away from the scene in opposite directions but made it only a few blocks.

Philadelphia police apprehended the two suspects shortly after the incident and rushed both to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. At least one of the suspects has been listed as in critical condition. The Lyft driver was not injured during the incident.

WTXF reported that bystanders witnessed the entire incident as it took place since it occurred at a relatively busy intersection and in broad daylight. The outlet noted that the setting of the incident shows just how brazen the suspects were in attempting the carjacking.

Witnesses also reportedly said they saw the suspect who drove off in the Lyft driver's vehicle fall out of the car as it came to a stop just three blocks away from the scene of the crime.

Police reportedly recovered all of the weapons from the scene. The identities of those involved have yet to be released.

Philadelphia has been hit with a slew of violent crimes over the past year, including a record-breaking 562 homicides. Additionally, 14 people have already been shot in the city since the start of the new year.

Lyft driver shoots two suspects attempting to carjack vehicle in Philadelphia, police say www.youtube.com