Cops: Son Of Abortion Doctor Kermit Gosnell Shot During West Phila. Robbery
By Steve Beck, Jan Carebeo and Natasha Brown
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The 3700 block of Brandywine Street is back to normal Wednesday evening after a chaotic morning.
A suspected burglar got a whole lot more than he bargained for when police say he broke into a row house in Mantua.
Police have confirmed the identity of that suspect as the son of convicted abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell.
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Three roommates living on Brandywine street in Mantua found themselves cleaning up today after a wild encounter with a man police say wanted to rob them.
A neighbor, Joe Samuel, says "I heard three or four shots."
Amanda Nguyen adds, "Looked out my window and there was a guy on the ground, bleeding out."
Police say it started around 7 a.m.
They say 22-year-old Barron Alexander broke into a back, bathroom window.
While taking items, including wallets and cash, police say he woke up one of the three roommates.
The pair then began to struggle.
Captain John Przepiorka of Southwest Detectives says, "The resident screamed for help, a second male, a second resident from that property came to assist him, he did have a firearm."
Police say Alexander was shot at least twice inside the home. Neighbors then found him on the street bleeding.
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According to court documents, Alexander changed his name from Gosnell last year.
He's the son of convicted abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell.
Gosnell's clinic sits just blocks away from the shooting scene.
And police say Alexander was living just two doors down from the home he tried to rob.
Lt. John Walker of Philadelphia Police says, "It's just bizarre. I can't say I've never even neighbors burglarize other neighbors, but it's usually when they're at work."
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Meanwhile, the roommates involved declined comment, but friends spoke on their behalf.
Pat Bowden says, "A friend of mine who's got a license to carry, registered gun, and shot him in self defense."
Amanda Nguyen says, "We live in a tough neighborhood sometimes it's always not safe, so I'm sure they did what they needed to do to make sure that they were safe."
Two of the three roommates are still in college and one is a graduate.
"They were shaken. I mean these are young kids, they are 25, 26-years-of-age, they've never experienced this before and obviously they were shocked, they were scared," Lt. Walker said.
As for Alexander, he's facing a number of charges including robbery, burglary and aggravated assault. Police say he had no prior criminal record.
He's currently in critical condition, but stabilized.
