On a quiet street in Philadelphia's East Mount Airy neighborhood, a gathering of friends to watch a football game turned into a scene of violence in the early hours of December 21, 2015. Leotis Martin Jr., a 51-year-old man, was shot and killed during an argument that erupted among the group. The incident, which also left two other men wounded, brought a sudden and tragic end to what began as a casual get-together.
The shooting took place inside a garage on the 8300 block of Gilbert
Street, where several men had convened to watch the Philadelphia Eagles game. An argument broke out between one of the men and others in the group. The dispute escalated, and the man pulled out a handgun and began firing at close range. Leotis Martin Jr. was struck in the chest and was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other men, ages 52 and 58, were also shot and were taken to a nearby hospital in critical but stable condition.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, one of the wounded victims was able to provide police with a description of the shooter. This information led to the swift apprehension of a suspect a few blocks away from the scene of the crime. The alleged gunman was identified as 51-year-old Bartholomew Nelson.
Following his arrest, Bartholomew Nelson was charged with the murder of Leotis Martin Jr., as well as two counts of attempted murder for the wounding of the other two men. He also faced charges of violating the Uniform Firearms Act and other related offenses. In September 2017, Nelson pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault, and possession of an instrument of crime. He was subsequently sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison.
