PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A corner store worker was gunned down in the Brewerytown section of Philadelphia Thursday night. Police believe the father of four was targeted.
Around 6:45 p.m., an unidentified man walked into the Jefferson Food Market at 29th and Jefferson streets. He pulled out a gun and fired five shots. One of the bullets hit the 37-year-old victim as he was stocking shelves, police said.
The victim, later identified by his family as Jose Alberto Almonte, was pronounced dead at the scene.
“It can just happen in a matter of a second. Your loved ones, your closest ones — you never know when they could go away,” Derick Santana, Almonte’s stepson, told NBC10.
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Police do not believe robbery was a motive, as the shooter left immediately and nothing was taken from the store. The store owner and another employee were in the shop at the time as well but were not hurt.
Police did not initially release a description of the shooter, and they did not recover a weapon. Investigators will try to utilize surveillance footage from the store and the surrounding area.
As of the end of the day on Thursday, Philadelphia police recorded 228 homicides in the city so far this year — a 21% drop compared to the same time last year.
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