UPPER DARBY — A Philadelphia man accused of hiding inside his ex-girlfriend’s car and opening fire on her new boyfriend in Upper Darby is in custody, police said.
Walter Taylor, 35, of the 5800 block of Ellsworth Street, was taken into custody on Wednesday, Sept. 30, Upper Darby Police Superintendent Timothy Bernhardt said, according to the Delaware County Daily Times. He will face attempted homicide, aggravated assault and related charges.
What Police Allege
The account below comes from the criminal complaint filed by Upper Darby Det. William Gottsch, as reported by the Delco Times and UpperDarbyNow.
Police were called to the unit block of North Keystone Avenue for a report of shots fired at about 7:55 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28. Officers found a cartridge casing at the scene at about the same time the victim showed up at the nearby police station.
The man told police he had spent the afternoon, since about 4 p.m., at his grandmother’s home with a woman who had picked him up at the airport that day. When the two went back to her car, which had heavily tinted windows, Taylor was already waiting inside, according to the complaint.
When the woman opened the car door, police say, Taylor got out and began shooting at the man. The victim told police that “Walter” fired at him and then chased him while continuing to shoot. He kept running until a passerby offered him a ride to police headquarters.
The man complained that his head and leg hurt, but he did not appear to have any gunshot wounds, according to the reports. Paramedics took him to a hospital for evaluation.
The woman told police that Taylor is the father of her child and that she has a protection from abuse order against him. She said she did not know how he knew she was on Keystone Avenue or how he got into her vehicle.
From Wanted To Custody
- Monday, Sept. 28, about 7:55 p.m.: Shots fired on the unit block of North Keystone Avenue, according to the complaint.
- Sept. 28–30: Police said Taylor was wanted. Charges listed at that point included aggravated assault, carrying a firearm without a license, possession of a weapon and reckless endangerment, according to the Delco Times and UpperDarbyNow. Bernhardt publicly urged him to surrender.
- Wednesday, Sept. 30: Taylor was taken into custody, Bernhardt said. Police did not publicly detail where or how he was arrested.
- Thursday, Oct. 1: The Delco Times reported the arrest and that Taylor will face attempted homicide, aggravated assault and related charges.
Bail and court dates had not been reported as of Friday morning, Oct. 2.
Superintendent’s Message
While Taylor was still being sought, Bernhardt addressed him directly. “Here we have someone who can’t accept that their relationship is over, so he hides in his ex’s vehicle and opens fire when she and her friend approach,” he said. “That’s not tough, that’s cowardly. Well, we know who you are, Walter K Taylor, we are going to find you and arrest you, that’s a guarantee. So, my request is simple, turn yourself in to the police immediately.”
“Thankfully, no one was injured,” Bernhardt said. “This is another senseless act of domestic violence that could have ended with someone dead.”
Help For Domestic Violence Victims
Bernhardt noted that the department’s domestic abuse project is located inside Upper Darby police headquarters and is prepared to help people in abusive relationships. A protection from abuse order is a civil court order in Pennsylvania meant to protect people from abuse by a family or household member or intimate partner. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24 hours a day at 1-800-799-7233. In an emergency, call 911.
Taylor has not been convicted of any crime. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Photo: Upper Darby Police Department, via the Delco Times.
Sources: Delaware County Daily Times (Pete Bannan, Oct. 1); Delaware County Daily Times (Pete Bannan); UpperDarbyNow (Pete Bannan).
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