In southwest Philadelphia, a pizza deliveryman was ambushed and shot after he arrived at the location of a “customer.”
The 36-year-old father of eight was delivering pizzas for Chester Pizza just after 7 p.m. Someone had called for a delivery and gave the address of an abandoned house in the 5300 block of Yocum Street
He got out of his car and almost immediately found himself face-to-face with the armed suspect.
“A group of males came from the abandoned property towards him,” said Philadelphia Police Lt. John Walker. “One pulled a gun, pointed it at the pizza delivery driver’s head (and) demanded money and pizzas.”
Keyveat Fredericks struggled with the attackers and then made it to his car. “I smacked his gun. Ran around my vehicle. I had dropped the pizzas. I heard one shot. I felt it hit me. I can tell you I felt it go through my arm. I heard it literally hit my gun that was on my side on my holster and I felt it go inside of me,” he described.
He was shot on his arm and hip.
But Fredericks didn’t give up. He hid behind his car, unholstered his weapon, and shot back.
“I fired once at him and he took off down the block. If it wasn’t for the gun on my hip, it would have been a lot more damage,” Fredericks said.
He drove himself to the hospital for treatment. Fredericks said he was thinking about his family during the assault.
“My kids. I have eight children. When I saw that gun, I said, ‘This can’t be it,'” Fredericks said. But he wonders why his attacker wanted to rob a delivery man.
“Why? I had $80 in money total on me. So even if you had got that would you have killed me afterwards?” he questioned.
Sadly, Fredericks does not think he can return to his job delivering pizza. “All I was trying to do was provide for my children. It’s a job, but I don’t think I can ever do it again,” he said.
If you were wondering if Fredericks had a conceal permit, indeed he did.
No arrests have been made yet, but police are investigating two suspects.
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