Asshole of the Week

This week, our asshole's plans were foiled. This does not make him any less of an asshole, not even a little bit, but it does make his victim more fortunate than so many others in the city. Our TV-ready story goes like this: On Tuesday evening, around 7:30, a man with a black SUV parked at 16th and Market called to a young woman, a Temple student, passing by to help him get his baby tucked into the car-seat. She stopped to assist him, and he shoved her inside the car and locked the door. Once she's trapped inside, he threatens her with the handgun resting on the center console. The baby was just a doll. Then traffic stalled at the end of the block, and the woman forced the door open and escaped safely at 16th and JFK, to make it home unharmed.

This happened in daylight. Right in the center of town. Just barely up the street from Temple's Center City campus. And that's awful. This man is awful—SVU detectives are looking for him. It could have easily gone another way: traffic might have green-lighted him all the way through to his destination. The woman could have been petrified into staying captive by the looming threat of the black handgun. He could have shot her. That he didn't, and that these other, worse options didn't happen does not make our man any less awful. This is crap. Here''s hoping they nail him.

If you were at 16th and JFK on Tuesday at 7:30 and might know something contact the SVU at 215-685-3251.

In the meantime, Philly, let's take care of one another, okay? Keep an eye out. Love your neighbor. Be well.