Father shot, killed while working inside Brewerytown store, police say

An investigation is underway after a father of four was shot and killed while working inside a store in Philadelphia’s Brewerytown neighborhood, police said.

The 37-year-old employee -- identified first by family members and later by police as José Alberto Almonte-Garcia -- was organizing the shelves inside the Jefferson Food Market along the 1500 block of North 29th Street at 6:42 p.m. Thursday when two masked men entered the store, Philadelphia police said.

At least one of the men then pulled out a gun and fired at least five shots, shooting Almonte at least once in the neck.

Medics pronounced Almonte dead at the scene just minutes later.

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Investigators said the incident did not appear to be a robbery attempt and Almonte was likely targeted.

No arrests were made as of Friday and no weapons were recovered. Police have not released any specific description of the suspects.

Investigators were interviewing another employee as well as the owner who were both inside the store at the time of the shooting. They were also looking at any possible surveillance footage from inside and outside of the store.

Family members told Telemundo 62 that Almonte was a great friend and loving father of four children.

“It just can happen in a matter of a second, you know? Your loved ones, your closest ones to you, you never know when they can go away,” Almonte’s stepson, Derick Santana, said. “It just happens in an instance so just keep your family close. Just try and make peace with everybody you know because they can be taken from you.”

Entering Friday, there were at least 230 homicides reported so far this year in Philadelphia, according to data released by Philadelphia police. That's down 21% from the same time last year, but still on pace to be one of the deadliest years since data began being tabulated in 2007.