An apparent attempted carjacker was fatally shot in Philadelphia by his would-be victim, an incident which occurs as carjackings and other violent crimes remain elevated in the city.

Two individuals attempted to steal a car belonging to a thirty-eight-year-old man early on Tuesday morning, but the man drew his firearm and shot one of the carjackers, according to a report from local news. The man stayed at the scene and was released by police after a brief detainment, and the police believe the would-be victim acted in self-defense.

Witnesses and residents told local news that the incident, which occurred in South Philadelphia, took place in an area where drug deals and other illegal activity sometimes occurs. "I heard a loud boom or a bang kind of sound," Zion Aregahegn, who was awoken by the gunshot, told reporters. "A few seconds later, I heard someone shout. I couldn't tell what they were saying.”

Surveillance footage seen by news outlets showed a man running from the parking lot where the would-be victim fired his gun, shortly collapsing near a utility pole. The apparent assailant, who was between eighteen and twenty-two years old, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Philadelphia carjackings have increased considerably in recent years, rising from more than 200 carjackings in 2019 to nearly 850 carjackings in 2021, as well as more than 1,300 in 2022.

Philadelphia Democratic District Attorney Larry Krasner, one of several progressive prosecutors backed by multibillionaire George Soros, has faced criticism for neglecting to prosecute certain cases of violent crime. Republicans in the Pennsylvania House previously voted to impeach Krasner, thereby authorizing a pending trial in the Pennsylvania Senate.