The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office has charged a suspect who attempted to rob a pizzeria and was shot by responding officers.
Stephen Easterling, 28, has been charged with aggravated assault, robbery, weapons offenses and related offenses, in connection with the robbery of Little Caesar’s Pizza on Island Avenue on Feb. 1. Easterling, of the 6000 block of Lebanon Avenue, and a still unidentified accomplice allegedly entered the restaurant with guns and demanded money. They allegedly forced two employees to open the safe and fled the location with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Officers from the 12th Police District responded and intercepted Easterling and the second suspect. Investigators said Easterling pointed a .40 caliber handgun at police, who responded by opening fire and wounding him.
The second man managed to elude officers and remained at large as of Tribune press time.
Easterling is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 25 in courtroom 703.
