PHILADELPHIA, PA – A woman accused of shooting a baby and his parents at close range, hitting the child in the leg, has been arrested. Authorities say the harrowing incident, captured on video, was sparked by an unresolved $100 drug debt.
Dominique Billups, 28, was taken into custody on Friday, just hours after police released a chilling video of the attack. The footage allegedly shows Billups approaching the family outside a residence on the 4000 block of Meridian Street around 5:50 p.m. on Thursday in the Holmesburg neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia.
In the video, Billups is seen firing two shots at the father, who flees for cover, while the parents and their baby, seated in a stroller, are blurred out. Billups then allegedly fires a third shot at the mother, who points at the child. The mother’s anguished cries of “My baby!” are met with a cold retort from the shooter, who then conceals the weapon and walks away.
The 7-month-old child, struck in the leg, was rushed to Nazareth Hospital by a good Samaritan before being transferred to Jefferson Torresdale, where he remains in good condition. Strangely, the parents were absent when police arrived and were not at the hospital. They were later found unharmed a few blocks away, with police noting that both parents have outstanding warrants for nonviolent offenses.
Lt. Dennis Rosenbaum, speaking at a Saturday press briefing, described the video as “very disturbing” and confirmed that the incident appeared to stem from a $100 narcotics debt. Billups has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, and other crimes. The father was identified as the initial target, with an argument between him and Billups occurring shortly before the shooting.
Residents of Meridian Street expressed shock, noting that the area is typically peaceful. Rosenbaum emphasized the critical role of public-provided footage in apprehending Billups, who was described as a heavyset black female with long dreadlocks. She was last seen running toward the 4000 block of Lansing Street and was arrested at a residence on Friday. Police searches at two addresses yielded a magazine containing 11 assorted bullets.