A night at work inside a West Kensington corner store turned deadly for a woman Monday after she was shot and killed by a masked man.
Police called her killing an execution.
And family wondered if Rosemary Fernandez-Rivera was killed because she would speak up when she saw crime in her neighborhood.
The shooting happened around 7:45 p.m. at the Caribe Mini Market on 3300 N Mutter Street, according to Philadelphia Police.
"An unknown male with a gray hoodie and a mask entered into the store, opened the door where you can go right behind the counter area and executed the decedent by shooting her four times," said Police Capt. James Clark.
Police say the man said nothing as he shot Fernandez-Rivera, 33, in the torso. She later died at the hospital.
"This was not a robbery, there was nothing taken," said Police Chief Inspector Scott Small. "The only description of the perpetrator is a male wearing a Grey hooded sweatshirt. He had a ski mask pulled over his face. He had a silver handgun."
Cops say the suspect ran off on foot down Westmoreland Street. Police were checking to see if there was any surveillance video of the gunman.
Police say Rivera lived above the store. And family members said the woman they called "Reyna" had worked at the store for a couple of years.
Family members fear that Reyna was possibly killed because she recently spoke to police about a murder that happened outside the store. Luis Omar Chevere was shot near the store in November and one of Reyna's family members says that in the past few days Reyna spoke to police.
"She was taken to the police station -- she didn't want to go... to identify two of the murderers," the family member said. "And we don't know if that was part of the retaliation... especially because one of the guys is still out there."
Police had no comment when asked about the earlier murder case.
But police did confirm that on Monday an arrest warrant was issued for Chevere's alleged killer.
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Family members also say that Reyna would tell drug dealers in the neighborhood to knock it off.
A woman, who was a frequent customer at the market, also spoke to NBC10.
"She didn't have any enemies at all," said the woman. "She was sweet, she was a nice person. If you didn't have enough money for things she would let you go."
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