South Philly Review

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A woman from the South of South neighborhood allegedly threw an unknown clear liquid in a 39-year-old’s face before igniting the liquid with a Bic lighter.

Doreen Cuffie, 45, of the 800 block of South 16th Street, was identified by the victim around 8:24 a.m. Friday and arrested at 10:20 a.m. Sunday on the 1100 block of Kimball Street, Detective Danielle Tolliver of South Detective Division said. The two women have known each other for more than 10 years.

The 39-year-old and a friend went to Cuffie’s apartment early on April 23 where they partied with Cuffie and an unknown man, Tolliver said. At about 7 a.m., the younger woman gave Cuffie money to buy more beer. However, when she returned, she did not bring back any alcohol, the woman told police. The two argued as Cuffie, who is believed to have been holding a plastic bottle containing an unknown liquid, allegedly splashed it on the other female’s face and lit it on fire before fleeing the scene. The liquid has not been recovered.

The 39-year-old suffered third-degree burns as her face, hair and clothing caught on fire, Tolliver said. Fire rescue transported the woman to Temple Hospital. She was later transferred to Temple Burn Center. As of Saturday, she was incubated and in critical condition.

Cuffie was charged with first-degree attempted murder, arson, aggravated assault, criminal mischief and related offenses.

Double shooting arrest

Police have arrested and charged a Queen Village man, who has been accused of shooting two innocent bystanders last week, with four counts of attempted murder.

Sharief Durbin, 22, of the 900 block of South Orianna Street, who is “no stranger to law enforcement,” is believed to have “aimlessly” fired six to 10 bullets at a group of males at 4:02 p.m. on the corner of 20th Street and Snyder Avenue, Capt. Laurence D. Nodiff of South Detective Division. said at last Thursday’s press conference. However, the bullets grazed the back of a 24-year-old’s head as she exited the corner store and struck a 27-year-old, who was carrying her 2-month-old son in her arms and pushing her 2-year-old daughter in a stroller, in her right arm. The children were not injured and the motive for the shooting was still under investigation.

Both women were transported to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where they were treated and released.

Durbin surrendered to police at South Detectives at 1:45 p.m. April 21, added Detective Danielle Tolliver, of South Detectives.

The area where the April 19 shooting occurred has become a hot spot for crime, including the March 7 murder of a Azzim Dukes, of the 1600 block of Montrose, followed by shots fired at the 17-year-old’s vigil that night as well as a March 8 shooting where a 30-year-old man was struck in the chest. Also three blocks west, Ronald Woodley, 20, of West Oak Lane, was killed March 31 by a bullet to his head and on April 10, a landlord allegedly shot his 47-year-old tenant. Police want to send a clear message that the violence will not be tolerated.

“Over the last few months, there has been some increased violence in the area,” Nodiff said. “As I said before, we don’t take these shootings lightly and we will in fact beef up patrols in the area, investigate, track you down and we will arrest you and put you in jail.”

Durbin also was charged with four counts each of aggravated assault, possession of an instrument of crime, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person along with firearm violations, according to court documents.

Teen charged with attempted murder

A teen was arrested last week for shooting a 16-year-old on a Grays Ferry street.