Don Ly was stabbed to death this morning near his own home as he prepped for his day as one of the popular food vendors in University City.
"He comes out around 5 a.m. every morning to load up his fruit truck and that’s when he was attacked," Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.
Ly was stabbed in the abdomen, throat, chest and arms as he prepared his food stand and van that were parked along the 400 block of Vollmer Street in South Philadelphia.
"At this point we do not know what the motive is," Small said.
Family members told NBC10's Jesse Gary that Ly moved here from Vietnam and was a very private person.
"Never had any issue with any neighbor," his son, Hoanh Ly said. "He was a very caring father, he was a very hard-working person all his life, he was a very very great man as a husband, as a father and as a grandather as well."
Neighbors tell NBC10's Jesse Gary that Ly was well-known in the community where he ran his fruit stand at 34th and Chestnut Streets in University City.
Vollmer Street is located between 4th and 5th Streets, behind John Taggert School and near the Murphy Recreation Center.
Police plan to look at local surveillance cameras to see if any captured the killer. Ly's son made a plea to the public:
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"I am U.S. Army veteran, also I am my father's son and I am asking/begging the members of the public for help, if anyone knows anything, please contact the police."
