Cops: 69th Street shooter charged with murder

UPPER DARBY – A township man has been charged with first-degree murder and other crimes for a shooting spree Thursday morning that included the “brutal execution” of his girlfriend, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said Friday.

“This was a brutal, brutal murder,” said Stollsteimer at a press conference inside Upper Darby Police Headquarters with Police Superintendent Timothy Bernhardt announcing the charges. “This is what evil looks like.”

David Lamont Savage, 45, of the 7000 block of Terminal Square, is also charged with criminal homicide, third-degree murder, four counts of attempted murder, eight counts of aggravated assault, two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer, reckless endangerment and weapons charges.

Savage is accused of shooting his girlfriend, Latoya Gary, once in the head in the bedroom of the apartment they shared shortly before 3:30 a.m. Thursday, according to an affidavit of probable cause for his arrest authored by Upper Darby Police Office Matthew Rugh.

The victim’s mother, who uses a wheelchair and was asleep in a hospital bed in the one-bedroom apartment’s living room, told investigators that she was awakened by a loud sound and saw “David” in the hallway of the apartment, the affidavit says. David allegedly told the woman that everything was okay and that her daughter was in the shower before leaving the apartment.

Savage then allegedly exited the apartment building with a firearm and shot into the air several times, according to Bernhardt. He made his way toward 69th Street Terminal along Market Street and shot another person on the street from behind, the affidavit says. Bernahrdt said that victim suffered a graze wound to the neck and shoulder area. That victim told police that he only heard someone coming from behind him and did not see who shot him.

Savage then allegedly began firing at people on the steps leading into 69th Street, according to Stollsteimer. The affidavit says one victim told police Savage pointed his weapon directly and him and began shooting.

Those shots, coming at approximately 3:31 a.m., attracted the attention of two uniformed SEPTA police officers identified only by their initials in the criminal complaint as “W.B” and “C.S.” The officers responded and pulled their vehicle into the terminal, according to the affidavit.

Savage turned his aggression on the officers and fired numerous shots toward their vehicle, Bernhardt said. Both officers returned fire from within their vehicle before Savage fled down 69th Street toward Ludlow Street, according to the affidavit.

The SEPTA officers chased after Savage, who threw his gun at them before turning right on Ludlow Street, the affidavit says. He was found sitting between two dumpsters and taken into custody, according to the affidavit.

Savage was placed into another SEPTA Police vehicle operated by officers Eric Ramos and James Mayo, according to the affidavit. While in custody in the vehicle, he allegedly told Ramos and Mayo that he had shot his girlfriend inside his Terminal Square apartment and provided an apartment number. The officers relayed this information to other officers before transporting Savage to Upper Darby Police Headquarters.

Haverford Police Officers Lawrence McLaughlin and Ryan McGuire responded to the apartment and were met by a relative of Gary who said, “Latoya won’t wake up,” according to the affidavit. The officers found Gary in the bedroom suffering from a single gunshot wound to her left temple, the affidavit says.

Gary was pronounced dead at the scene by an emergency medical technician from Fitzgerald Mercy Hospital. The other two people in the apartment were unharmed, said Bernhardt.

Savage allegedly provided a statement to Rugh and Detective Sgt. Matthews Rowles admitting to shooting at the SEPTA Police officers and the person on the steps to the 69th Street Terminal, as well as shooting his girlfriend and the second victim, who was found by assisting officers on the sidewalk in front of the Bank of America at 2 S. 69th St.

Police recovered the weapon and spent shell casings at each of the crime scenes, according to the affidavit. Video surveillance gathered from the area also allegedly showed Savage walking from the area of the apartment and firing at each of the outdoor victims.

“I believe 100 percent that this was ‘suicide by police,’” said Bernhardt. “I believe that Mr. Savage, in his statements and in his actions, he wanted police to take his life.”

Bernhardt said Savage has prior criminal convictions in Pennsylvania and New Jersey that preclude him from owning a gun, including simple and aggravated assault, terroristic threats and weapons charges. Investigators are looking into where Savage allegedly procured the weapon used Thursday, he said.

Bernhardt attributed the start of Thursday’s shooting spree to domestic violence and pleaded for those in similar circumstances to seek help. He said police had responded to the victim’s apartment before, but did not say whether those calls were related to domestic violence.

“I want to take this moment to remind anyone who is in a hostile relationship that they need to seek the help and the support that they deserve, and we have that support here in Upper Darby Township with our Domestic Abuse Project, so please reach out to them,” said Bernhardt.

Stollsteimer extended thanks to all of the law enforcement involved in the investigation, especially the two SEPTA officers who allegedly exchanged gunfire with Savage before bringing him into custody. He added that the officers being present on the street that morning likely prevented many more deaths as a counter-narrative to the idea of “defund the police,” and described rising violent crime in urban areas as “an American tragedy” that stems from poverty.

“God knows how many other people would have been killed if these guys didn’t act so heroically that day,” Stollsteimer said. “So we have to continue to do what we’re doing, which is … holding somebody to justice for the acts of violence that they’ve committed. We also need, I think, as a community, to look for solutions. We all have to come together, we have to stop the bickering that is so prevalent in this country anymore, and we have to actually work to find solutions.”

Savage was arraigned Friday before Magisterial District Court Judge Harry J. Karapalides. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 13.