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Woman shot during North Philly street robbery

A young woman is clinging to life after two armed robbers shot her while mugging her and a friend in North Philadelphia early this morning.

A young woman is clinging to life after two armed robbers shot her while mugging her and a friend in North Philadelphia early this morning.

The incident occurred just before 2:30 a.m. on Luzerne Street near Palmetto, when two men approached two women, brandished a black handgun and demanded their money, said Officer Christine O'Brien, a police spokeswoman. When the robbers discovered one woman, 20, had just $1 and a SEPTA token, they stole those and ordered her to run, O'Brien said. As she ran, she heard two gunshots and dove under a parked car at I Street and Erie Avenue until she flagged down a passing police officer.

Polie discovered that the robbers had shot the woman's 21-year-old friend, who was taken to Temple University Hospital where she remains in extremely critical condition after surgery to repair two gunshot wounds, O'Brien said. The robbers stole $200 from that woman, O'Brien added.

A short time after the shooting, officers stopped one suspect, 29, near the crime scene. He remains in custody and charges are expected. The second suspect is described as a black man in his early 20s, 5-feet-11, 160 pounds and wearing an olive hoodie and camouflage pants. Tipsters can call East Detectives at (215) 686-3243.