Officials Release Details, File Charges In Fatal Pharmacy Shooting

In a minute or two it was all over.

A man in his 20s or 30s lie dead on the floor of the Pennsbury Pharmacy at 8545 New Falls Road in Falls Township’s Levittown section. Blood began to pool near the body behind the counter of the family-operated pharmacy that enjoys a good reputation with its customers.

The store owner, who carried a handgun to protect his business, had fired multiple rounds into the shotgun-wielding, would-be robber during the botched crime. The would-be robber was taking his final breaths as he laid on the floor nearby.

The panic alarm had been struck at 9:58 a.m. Friday and 9-1-1 was on the phone.

An officer was down the street and rushed to the scene, followed by his co-workers. Upon arrival to the pharmacy, Officer Edward Elmore spotted a man inside the beat up green minivan with a New Jersey license plate backed into a parking spot along New Falls Road outside the pharmacy that served as a bike shop in the past.

Officers surrounded the minivan and 55-year-old Kim Goldsboro of Camden was taken into custody.

Medics from the Levittown-Fairless Hills Rescue Squad rushed over to the man on the floor and found no vital signs. He was clearly dead, blood running from the holes in his chest.

Within minutes, the ambulance was gone and patrol officers and detectives roamed the scene and began collecting evidence. Neighbors and reporters gawked as fire police shut down a portion of New Falls Road near the crime scene.

As the time since the shooting past 15 minutes, the owner of the pharmacy, Kenneth Lee was driven to the police station in the passenger seat of a patrol van for questioning. A police official said Lee was “scared to death” following the incident.

According to court papers and police, Lee told detectives he spotted the minivan back into his parking lot and saw the passenger – the man he shot dead a few minutes later – exit out the passenger side. Once outside the minivan, the suspect was seen wearing a Halloween-style skull mask and was carrying a shotgun partly-obscured by an open umbrella.

The suspect walked into the pharmacy with the umbrella open and facing forward with a shotgun with a pistol grip behind it. Lee reportedly yelled, “I have a gun,” twice before the suspect charged the counter.

“The actor pushed the umbrella through the open window and jumped over,” Lt. Hank Ward said.

“When the masked subject landed, Lee stated he appeared to be reaching for something, which caused Lee to continue to fire until Lee felt the ‘threat was neutralized,’” an affidavit filed Friday evening by Falls Detective Michael Callahan and Bucks County Detective Eric Landamia stated.

Lee ordered the suspect to stop moving as he laid on the floor, according to police. “I’m not moving,” the dying suspect reportedly said.

Detectives said they reviewed the crystal-clear surveillance video from the pharmacy and Lee’s story checked out. The footage even shows the suspect reaching for his shotgun after being shot initially.

“There is no thought to prosecute the shooter in this case. It was entirely justified. And frankly, he should be commended,” Heckler said. “He asked for what he got and he got it.”

Ward said zip ties were found on the deceased suspect and the theory is they planned to tie up Lee while the store was ransacked. Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler said a “whole ton of illicit drugs” could have been taken if the robbery went through.

No customers were in the store, and the suspect did not get a chance to fire his shotgun.

Goldsboro was taken to the Falls police station and later arraigned before the public on charges including homicide, robbery, conspiracy and possession of an instrument of crime.

A top police official, who requested his name not be published because he was not permitted to speak to the media, said Goldsboro did not appear to have heard the commotion in the store and appeared to be sitting calmly in the minivan awaiting the return of his passenger.

The 55-year-old Camden man, who stated before reporters that he is currently on probation, allegedly admitted to detectives he drove the suspect to the pharmacy and saw the suspect in the “scary Halloween” mask exit the minivan with “something black.” He said he was paid $40 to drive the suspect.

According to Heckler, Goldsboro was charged with homicide because the deceased suspect died due to actions he took. He reiterated that Lee was justified in shooting the suspect.

Ward said late Friday afternoon that investigators had not yet identified the suspect who was killed and released an image of a distinctive tattoo on the man’s stomach to solicit help from the public.

Detectives in Bucks County are also working with other agencies to determine if the duo who visited Falls are connected to other Delaware Valley-area pharmacy robberies. Ward said it appears it “wasn’t their first rodeo.”

The minivan was reported stolen out of Gloucester Township, New Jersey on Wednesday, police said.

Detectives told LevittownNow.com the minivan will be searched once a search warrant is obtained by authorities.

During his preliminary arraignment, Goldsboro cried as District Judge Jan Vislosky read him the charges he was facing.

“I know you’re having a rough day,” Vislosky told him before returning to giving him instructions on how to apply for a public defender.

Minutes later, Goldsboro was taken by constables Bobby Wagner and Mike Hammer to the Bucks County Correctional Facility without bail due to the serious charges.

Anyone with information on the robbery or who can identify the deceased suspect is asked to call investigators at 215-949-9100 ext. 460 or 215-348-6354.

Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.