Man Shot Girlfriend On Thanksgiving Eve: Delco District Attorney

A Delaware County man who is a convicted felon behind bars now after shooting his girlfriend on Thanksgiving eve in Folcroft, according to the Delaware County District Attorney's Office.

District Attorney Katayoun M. Copeland and Chief William Bair of the Folcroft Police Department said Anthony Pryor Chen, 36, Chester, was arrested after allegedly shooting his girlfriend with a handgun after they got in an argument while they were driving home from a bar in Folcroft the evening of Wednesday, Nov. 21.

Chen has been charged with aggravated assault, a felony of the first degree, firearms not to be carried without a license, a felony of the third degree, recklessly endangering another person and tampering with evidence, misdemeanors of the second degree, along with other firearms related offenses.

He is being held after failing to post 10 percent of $750,000 bail and slated to appear for his preliminary hearing on Dec. 5, court records show.

The investigation was conducted by Corporal Daniel White of the Folcroft Borough Police Department and Detective Vincent Ficchi of the Delaware County District Attorney’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID), with assistance from Sharon Hill Borough Police Department.

At about 10:58 p.m. on Nov. 2, Folcroft Borough Police and Sharon Hill Borough Police were dispatched to Taylor Hospital for a female gunshot victim, the DA's office said.

When asked who shot her, the victim told Folcroft Police Officer Sean Cannon that she had been shot by her boyfriend, Anthony Chen, who had dropped her off at the hospital in a Hyundai Santa Fe. Officer Cannon located the vehicle in the hospital parking lot and secured it as a potential crime scene, the DA's office said. CID Detective James Reardon photographed the exterior of the Santa Fe prior to it being towed to Folcroft Police Department. Inside the vehicle, he observed blood on the passenger seat and a bullet hole on the passenger seat where the victim had been seated, the DA's office said.

CID Detective Vincent Ficchi and Detective David Tyler interviewed Chen surrounding the events of the shooting.

In his first statement, he told investigators that a man had approached their vehicle, and stuck a gun in the window, at which point Chen grabbed for the gun and it went off, the DA's office said.

After being made aware of what the victim told police about the shooting, Chen told police that he and the victim has been at Chasers Tavern in Folcroft Borough, shooting pool and having drinks, accoridng to the DA's office. According to Chen, he and the victim left to get cigarettes, at which time an argument ensued between the two, the DA's office said.

Chen said he pulled over to the side of the road where the argument continued. He went on to say that the victim told him she was not afraid of him because he had a gun, according to the DA's office.

Chen said he then picked up the gun from the driver’s side floor of the Santa Fe and began to tell the victim that she did not need to be afraid of him while he was waiving the gun recklessly, the DA's office said. He stated that at that point the gun accidentally went off, striking the victim, according to the DA's office.

In the bushes outside the hospital, Detectives found a Glock 19 handgun that Chen had used to the shoot the victim, the DA's office said. The gun was loaded with one round in the chamber and 12 rounds in the magazine, according to the DA's office.

A records check revealed that in 2006, Chen was convicted of a felony drug trafficking offense and therefore he is a felon who is not legally permitted to possess a firearm, the DA's office said.

"In this case, the defendant Anthony Chen shot his girlfriend, the very person he is supposed to love and care for, nearly killing her," Copeland said. "As a result of the victim’s courage to come forward, and the swift response and teamwork demonstrated by our police officers, she is now safe, and hopefully can begin the healing process, both physically and emotionally. Domestic violence is a cruel, menacing, and potentially fatal crime, with the abuse often coming from the hands of loved ones and trusted individuals. It also poses some of the most dangerous situations for our police officers who respond to these volatile situations. In Delaware County, we will continue to work with our partners in law enforcement and our domestic abuse advocates to protect victims of these horrific crime and seek justice for all of those involved."

Image via Delaware County District Attorney's Office