Police have arrested a second man who they believe had a part in the Nov. 13 slaying of 27-year-old Shane Kelly, who was shot on small and usually quiet Hewson Street in Fishtown.
On Monday, Nov. 14, the street was filled with mourners where the Mayfair resident had collapsed after being shot while resisting a robbery attempt.
Kelly and his girlfriend, Maryelise Doyne, were confronted by two men just after 12:30 a.m. on the 1300 block of Hewson St. as the couple returned from an evening out. Doyne, a lifelong Fishtown resident, was not injured during the robbery attempt.
Later that day, an investigation led to the arrest of a suspect in the case, Ryan McManus, 20, of the 2600 block of Sepviva St. McManus was taken into custody at his residence, police said.
Two days later, on Nov. 15, police announced the arrest of the second suspect, Richard Smith, 19, of the 1600 block of Eyre St.
Both men have been charged with murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, criminal conspiracy, robbery and possessing an instrument of crime.
Officer Jillian Russell, a Philadelphia Police Department spokeswoman, said Kelly tried to thwart the robbery. But as the two assailants fled, one turned and fired several shots at him, Russell said.
Kelly, who lived on the 6300 block of Crafton St. in Mayfair, was hit several times in the chest and collapsed. He was pronounced dead at 4:48 a.m. at Temple University Hospital.
During the neighborhood memorial held last week, Doyne, Kelly’s girlfriend, tearfully addressed the gathering of friends, neighbors and family who came to show their support.
“Even if you’re not religious, please pray he didn’t suffer,” she said softly, surrounded by members of Kelly’s family. “And pray he’s with God.”
There were tears and soft voices among the mourners; many held candles that cast a gentle glow on the evening vigil.
The victim was an active member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Division 61. Some of the mourners at the Fishtown vigil wore T-shirts and sweatshirts with the AOH logo.
During the gathering, A.J. Thomson, a resident and community organizer, told the people that he never thought his children would attend a vigil for a man slain so close to his neighborhood home.
ldquo;He shouldn’t have had to die on the street where I was a paperboy,” Thomson said of Kelly. “He lost his life in Fishtown and we are here to remember him.”
Throughout the vigil, the people were relatively silent. The shuffling of feet often was the only sound heard when mourners moved down Hewson Street from Thompson Street to the spot where Kelly was shot and fell.
ldquo;This has rocked this community to the core,” said Margi Megill, a Fishtown resident who didn’t know Kelly but wanted to offer her condolences.
ldquo;I can’t believe this happened on these streets that I consider safe,” she said. ••
Reporter Hayden Mitman can be reached at 215–354–3124 or [email protected]
