Catholic priest from order that serves the homeless gets carjacked at gunpoint while he's unloading wheelchair from vehicle in Philly

A Catholic priest from an order that provides services for the homeless was carjacked at gunpoint in Philadelphia over the weekend — while he was unloading a wheelchair from the vehicle's trunk.

What are the details?

Police said the deed took place in the 2100 block of East Somerset Street in the city's Kensington neighborhood around 8:45 p.m., KYW-TV reported.

Four men approached the priest while he was unloading the wheelchair from his blue 2013 Hyundai Sonata, authorities told the station — and one of them pulled out a gun.

Police said a man pulled an individual out of the vehicle who had been in the passenger seat, KYW added.

The other three men entered the vehicle and fled southbound on Frankford Avenue toward Lehigh Avenue, the station said.

The priest and the passenger were not injured, authorities told KYW. It isn't clear whether the passenger who was pulled from the vehicle required the wheelchair.

The priest is with the Arrupe Jesuit Community, which provides services to the homeless, the station said, adding that the community also owns the vehicle. There is an Arrupe Jesuit Community on North 18th Street in Philadelphia.

The USA East Province of the Society of Jesus confirmed to WTXF-TV that one of its priests serving in Philadelphia was carjacked Sunday night but added that additional details are being withheld to keep the priest safe.

Break in the case?

Police added to WTXF that arrests were made in connection with the carjacking Monday night in Camden, New Jersey, but the station said no further details were provided.

Anything else?

WTXF said there have been more than 1,000 carjackings in Philadelphia so far this year, which is a new record.

TheBlaze has reported extensively on the city's carjacking epidemic:

• A carjacker with a flair for the dramatic was caught on surveillance video jumping on a vehicle's roof and pointing a gun at the owner, who was standing by a gas pump. Three other gunmen helped chase the victim into a Philadelphia convenience store — after which the crooks drove off in the vehicle.
• An armed carjacker who targeted a Philadelphia mother and daughter in their own driveway last month was arrested and faces federal charges, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.
• In August a 69-year-old Philadelphia man turned the tables on an armed carjacker, wrestling the crook to the ground, taking his gun, and wounding the suspect with a shot that grazed his abdomen.
• In July a 62-year-old man was punched, kicked, and carjacked by a group of "kids" — two of whom police said were armed — as the victim readied to head home from his Philadelphia workplace.
• In June an armed Philadelphia carjacker picked the wrong motorist to steal from — a 59-year-old off-duty corrections officer who opened fire and apparently wounded the crook.
• Also in June, an off-duty Philadelphia police officer was carjacked at gunpoint and then shot seven times at his own SUV as it sped away. Hours later his SUV was found on fire — and a 15-year-old who was dropped off at a hospital with a gunshot wound to the hand was being held as a suspect.