A city worker died from his injuries after he was shot during a shopping stop at a South Philadelphia corner store Thursday morning, police said.
"Things like this should not be happening... it's disgusting," Philadelphia Police Sgt. Eric Gripp said at the scene.
The shooting took place around 8:45 a.m. at a corner store on 23rd and Oakford streets, on the edge of the Point Breeze neighborhood, police said.
Police have identified the victim as 21-year-old Masir Williams of Philadelphia who worked for the Philadelphia Streets Department.
Get Philly local news, weather forecasts, sports and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia newsletters.
Williams had been shot in the arm and lower back, according to police.
Officers rushed Williams to the hospital where he was pronounced dead at 10:15 a.m., police said.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
The incident began when the city employee -- in the area to do work with two of his colleagues -- entered the corner store to buy some items, Gripp said. He then got into an altercation with someone inside.
During the fight, a gun was produced and a person opened fire, shooting the city employee, according to Gripp.
“It appears as though while the offender was running away with this handgun he was firing,” Gripp said.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
Police went to a nearby home that could be connected to the shooter, according to investigators.
“We received information that one of the individuals involved in this may have been at that home or near that home.” Gripp said.
No arrests have been made however. Police hoped surveillance video and witnesses would help track down the gunman.
"This neighborhood is bad, you know, violence all the time. Young generation shooting all the time," Luis Brown, a Point Breeze resident of 20 years and a block captain, told NBC10. "We're trying to get together and get them programs and stuff to go to around here in this area. But we need a little help."
"Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by this terrible incident," the streets department said on social media Thursday evening.
Entering Thursday, at least 296 homicides had occurred in Philadelphia in 2023, according to police data. That's down about 21% from the same date last year, but still ahead of many other recent years.
Correction (Sept. 7, 2023, 10:42 a.m.): Initially NBC10 reported that the worker is employed by the water department, however, police later clarified he works for the streets department.
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox.
