A 45-year-old man is facing murder charges after allegedly using a woman’s own gun to shoot and kill her during a violent altercation outside a 7-Eleven in Center City Philadelphia, according to police and prosecutors.
The victim, Lauren Jardine, 33, had reportedly been walking past the store near 12th and Chestnut Streets around 5:45 p.m. on Friday when she saw John Kelly arguing with his girlfriend while allegedly wielding a screwdriver.
Surveillance Footage Shows Deadly Struggle
Surveillance video, obtained by The Philadelphia Inquirer and WPVI, reportedly shows Jardine attempting to intervene in the argument. According to the probable cause affidavit, a verbal dispute turned physical when Jardine allegedly pulled an illegal firearm and aimed it at Kelly — prompting a struggle over the gun.
Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney Jeff Hojnowski said Kelly managed to disarm Jardine and then shot her multiple times, including two shots while she was on the ground, one as she attempted to get up.
“He is kind of standing up to her right-hand side… you hear another shot, and she falls to the ground,” Hojnowski told reporters.
One of the shots was reportedly fired as Jardine tried to grab Kelly’s screwdriver, with Kelly allegedly saying “put it down” before pulling the trigger. Authorities say he then hid the gun in a mailbox nearby.
Victim Was Reportedly at Job Fair Before Fatal Encounter
Jardine’s mother, Ada Jardine, said her daughter had been in the area to attend a job fair, and detectives found her bag full of job applications. She had been working toward earning a commercial driver’s license and various technical certifications in fields like forklift operation and HVAC repair.
“She was helping someone,” her mother said. “She was probably trying to tell him to leave [his girlfriend] alone.”
Suspect Has Prior Criminal Record
Court documents reveal that John Kelly has a history of criminal behavior, including charges from April 2025 for criminal trespass, harassment, and making terroristic threats. He had previously harassed employees and customers at nearby businesses, including another 7-Eleven at 12th and Filbert Streets.
In one incident, a store manager told police that Kelly had threatened them, saying:
“I know where you live… I know what station you take the train from.”
Kelly pleaded guilty in May and was sentenced to nine months’ probation. He is now awaiting a preliminary hearing on September 22 for the murder charge.
