Full Breakdown
Armed Man Barricades SEPTA Bus in Fox Chase Amid Double-Homicide Investigation
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On Monday morning an armed man barricaded himself inside a SEPTA Route 18 bus at the intersection of Oxford Avenue and Rhawn Street (also reported as Loney Street) in the Fox Chase neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia. The driver called 911 after the passenger brandished a handgun and told the driver, “I just shot two people.” Police arrived, evacuated the driver and confirmed no other passengers were on board. The suspect remained inside the bus for several hours, prompting a stand-still with SWAT and negotiators still on scene as of mid-afternoon.
Connection to Double Homicide
Earlier that morning, Philadelphia firefighters responded to a house fire on the 8200 block of Williams Avenue in the East Mount Airy (Cedarkbrook) area. Inside the home, two women were found with gunshot wounds to the head and later pronounced dead at Albert Einstein Medical Center—one at 4:26 a.m. and the other at 4:40 a.m. The victims were identified as 78-year-old Sadie Turner and her adopted daughter Gaby Turner, who was in her early 20s.
A family member told reporters the man barricaded on the bus is the adopted son and biological brother of the victims, naming him Lonnie Turner. Police have not filed charges against the bus suspect and have not officially linked the two incidents, but investigators are treating the bus barricade as a possible continuation of the earlier double homicide.
Background & Context
The three siblings—Sadie Turner (adoptive mother), Lonnie Turner, and Gaby Turner—had lived together in the Williams Avenue home where the murders occurred. According to the family source, Lonnie Turner had been released from a Montgomery County jail over the summer. Following the bus incident, Philadelphia police closed nearby streets and SEPTA rerouted other bus routes to avoid the Fox Chase Loop transit hub.
Data & Statistics
- Fire call received just before 4 a.m.; victims pronounced dead at 4:26 a.m. and 4:40 a.m..
- Bus barricade reported at approximately 5:00 a.m. and again at 5:49 a.m..
- No arrests have been made; the suspect’s identity has not been officially released by police.
Official Statements & Responses
- A SEPTA spokesperson confirmed the driver and all passengers were safely removed and described the situation as a “standstill” with police and the suspect at an impasse.
- Philadelphia Police announced the deployment of SWAT teams and negotiators, and they kept surrounding streets shut down while the standoff continued.
- No official motive or formal charge has been announced; police have stated they are “investigating any possible connection” between the bus incident and the earlier homicides.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Identity: 6ABC and NBC Philadelphia cite a family member who identifies the suspect as Lonnie Turner, while Fox 29 reports that the suspect’s identity remains unknown publicly.
- Linkage: All outlets describe the connection between the bus barricade and the double homicide as “believed” or “possible,” but no agency has formally charged the bus suspect or confirmed the link.
What’s Next
Police indicated the standoff remained unresolved as of the latest update (approximately 3:30 p.m. on Monday). No scheduled court dates, hearings, or deadlines have been announced for the suspect or for the homicide investigation.