A 25-year-old man was fatally shot Friday evening at a shopping center in Philadelphia’s Nicetown neighborhood, police said.
The shooting happened shortly before 5:30 p.m. Sept. 11 near the Bakers Centre shopping center on the 2800 block of Fox Street. The shopping center includes a Five Below and several other businesses.
Philadelphia Police Inspector D.F. Pace said a Pennsylvania state constable working security at the shopping center was alerted to a reported struggle near the rear of the stores. The constable went to investigate and saw people inside a black SUV appearing to be involved in a physical altercation.
When the constable attempted to intervene, the SUV left the area. He then noticed a 25-year-old man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds near the location where the vehicle had been.
Police were called and transported the injured man to Temple University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 5:48 p.m., according to police.
Investigators later located a black Honda SUV abandoned at a cemetery on the 3200 block of West Clearfield Street in North Philadelphia. Police said the vehicle had a broken ignition, a shattered window and a significant amount of blood inside.
Authorities determined that the SUV was registered to the man who was killed. Investigators are still working to determine exactly what led to the shooting and whether the vehicle was directly involved in the incident.
Police also reported that another vehicle left the shopping center around the same time. Investigators are determining whether that vehicle is connected to the shooting.
As of the latest police information, no arrests had been announced. Detectives are reviewing available surveillance footage and are seeking information that could help establish what happened before the shooting.
The investigation remains ongoing, and police have not publicly identified a motive. Anyone with information about the shooting can contact Philadelphia police at 215-686-TIPS (8477).
