PHILADELPHIA, PA – A gruesome murder took place in Philadelphia on Tuesday evening when a man, on his way to evening prayers at a mosque, was gunned down in what the police are calling an “execution-type homicide.” Authorities are still searching for the suspect, and the motive behind the murder remains unknown.
Police rushed to the scene on the 1500 block of Germantown Avenue at approximately 5 p.m. after receiving reports of gunshots. The victim, a 43-year-old man, was found in the mosque’s parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds, including several to his chest and torso, as well as one to his head, according to Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small.
The assailant, who was dressed in dark clothing, fled the scene in a motor vehicle following the shooting. Surveillance footage captured the horrifying moment in the parking lot when the shooter approached the victim from behind and fired multiple rounds at him.
Small said during a press briefing that the victim was clearly the intended target, as the attacker continued firing even after the victim collapsed. The other man accompanying the victim remained unhurt.
Police investigators discovered seventeen spent shell casings at the crime scene, believed to come from a large caliber semi-automatic weapon.
Authorities have provided a description of the suspect’s vehicle– a dark-colored sedan with a spare or donut tire on the right front passenger’s side. The police are now sifting through additional surveillance footage from the area and are questioning several witnesses who saw the incident.
To encourage public cooperation, the police department has offered a $20,000 reward for any relevant information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case. The name of the victim has not been disclosed as of yet.