A Philadelphia man has been charged with murder after a woman was fatally shot while attempting to intervene in an argument outside a Center City convenience store, police said.
Authorities said John Kelly, 45, was arguing with his girlfriend outside a 7-Eleven at 12th and Chestnut Streets around 5:45 p.m. Friday when 33-year-old Lauren Jardine walked by and stepped in. Assistant District Attorney Jeff Hojnowski said Kelly, who was carrying a screwdriver, then turned his anger toward Jardine, who was illegally carrying a gun.
According to Hojnowski, the weapon was drawn during the dispute, and a violent struggle followed. A Video recorded by a bystander showed the pair fighting before the gun was fired at least twice. Kelly could be seen wrestling Jardine to the ground, striking her, and then continuing to struggle before gaining control of the weapon. He then shot Jardine, Hojnowski said.
Jardine collapsed. Investigators said Kelly appeared to try to retrieve his screwdriver from her hand, telling her to “put it down,” before firing another round. Kelly later discarded the gun in a nearby mailbox. Jardine, of West Philadelphia, was struck in the back and hand.
She was rushed to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital but died shortly after. Kelly, who is homeless, was arrested near the scene and charged with murder, illegal gun possession, and related offenses. Authorities said Jardine did not know Kelly or his girlfriend, according to KYW Newsradio.
Her mother, Ada Jardine, described her daughter as someone who never hesitated to stand up for others. “She was helping someone,” she said. “She was probably trying to tell him to leave her alone.” Lauren Jardine was born and raised in South Philadelphia.
She most recently worked at the Riverwalk Giant grocery store and had recently earned her GED after re-enrolling in school. She was honored by the city’s Office of Education and interviewed about her journey through an adult literacy program. “While past obstacles and experiences may have hindered me in ways, they didn’t cripple me.
I’m still fighting for the things I want and deserve,” she said in that interview. Her mother said she was working toward her commercial driver’s license and certificates in forklift operation and HVAC repair. Detectives found a bag filled with job applications she had been carrying after attending a job fair on Friday.
Kelly has a long criminal record, including convictions for robbery, aggravated assault, and drug possession. Earlier this year, he pleaded guilty to trespassing, harassment, and making threats after repeatedly targeting staff and customers at another 7-Eleven in Center City.