Police: Man Arrested After Shots Allegedly Fired in Rahill’s Tavern

Norristown police arrested a Norristown man with a criminal history after investigating alleged gunshots fired inside of Rahill's Tavern.

On the evening of Jan. 16 around 7:36 p.m., Norristown police went to Rahill's Tavern at the 900 block of West Airy Street in Norristown in response to a report of shots fired, say police.

They arrived and spoke to witnesses, who told them that, inside the bar, which had a good number of patrons inside, a man had shot at another man, and then both men left the bar.

One of the witnesses told police that she had been sitting at a table when she saw one African American man shoot at another African American man using a semi-automatic pistol, say police. She said that the bullet’s shell casing hit her on the head after the gun ejected it.

Another witness told police that an African American man wearing all black clothing was the shooter and that another African American man who wore a khaki or tan jacket and khaki or tan pants was the person who the other man shot at.  

Police obtained a used 9mm shell casing on the table inside of the bar. They were also able to watch the bar’s surveillance video footage.

Officers combed the area and found an African American man dressed in a khaki jacket and pants walking west around the location of the 1000 block of West Main Street who matched the description of the man who had allegedly been shot at. Norristown police stopped and identified him and then took him to the police station.

After their investigation, Norristown police identified Alfey Fowler, a 34-year-old Norristown man, to be the shooter.

The next day police served a search warrant to Fowler’s home, where they found Fowler and took him into custody.

Inside of his residence they found a 9mm handgun thought to be the gun Fowler used during the Rahill’s incident the day before, clothing that he supposedly wore during the shooting, cocaine and drug paraphernalia. 

According to police, Fowler has a criminal history with felonies that prevent him from possessing firearms. He faces aggravated assault, recklessly endangering, simple assault, felony drug violations and felony drug violations.