Body Found Inside Burning Car in Northeast Philadelphia

Philadelphia police said they found a body in a burning car in the Fox Chase section of the city Saturday night.

Emergency responders were called to the car fire on the 8500 block of Verree Road around 10:30 p.m.

Once firefighters extinguished the flames, investigators discovered a male's body inside with a gunshot wound to the head, police said.

On Tuesday morning, police identified the victim as 25-year-old Gerard Vega Gonzalez of the Crescentville neighborhood.

Philadelphia police said the case is being investigated by the department's homicide division.

Entering Sunday, there were at least 257 homicides in Philadelphia this year, down 8% from the same time last year which was ultimately the deadliest in the city on record.

There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.