An 18-year-old man was killed Monday night after being shot inside a corner store in Philadelphia’s Summerdale section, with police investigating the shooting as a homicide.
Officers were called to the area of Marcella Street and Summerdale Avenue shortly before 9 p.m. and found the teenager unresponsive on the floor of the store’s takeout area. He had suffered a gunshot wound to the head.
The victim was taken to Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly afterward.
Investigators said the young man was a regular at the store and was known to frequent the location. Police are also looking into whether he may have been specifically targeted, although a motive has not been established.
Gunfire spread beyond the store
The shooting scene extended outside the corner store, where investigators recovered about 25 spent shell casings from the sidewalk and Summerdale Avenue. Another casing was found inside the store near where the victim was discovered.
The gunfire also reached nearby homes. Bullets went through second-floor bedroom windows at two adjoining properties on the 800 block of Marcella Street. The residents inside were not injured.
Police are working to determine exactly how the shooting unfolded and whether the gunfire outside the store was part of the same sequence of events.
Stolen Nissan found nearby
Investigators also located a stolen Nissan a short distance from the store. The vehicle had crashed into parked cars and was still running when officers arrived.
Both front and rear doors on the driver’s side were open, and no one was inside. Police believe the vehicle may be connected to the shooting. Investigators said the Nissan did not appear to have been struck by gunfire.
The circumstances surrounding the vehicle, including who was driving it and whether anyone fled from it after the shooting, remain part of the investigation.
Surveillance video could help investigators
Police said surveillance cameras inside the corner store and in the surrounding area are being reviewed as detectives work to identify the person or people responsible.
Investigators are also examining reports of a light-colored vehicle traveling near the store around the time of the shooting.
As of the latest available information, no arrests had been announced and the motive remained unclear.
Anyone who may have information about the shooting is asked to contact Philadelphia police at 215-686-TIPS (8477).
