Police are looking for an African American man, 5'7" who was wearing a black hoodie and black jeans when he opened fire on a man at the crowded Logan playground, killing him.
The shooting took place outside the Belfield Recreation Center at 21st and Conlyn Streets.
Police say a $20,000 reward is now being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the gunman.
Cynthia Williams' 5-year-old granddaughter Janiya and 10-year-old daughter Angel were at the playground at the time of the attack Monday night.
"I was in the kitchen and I heard gunshots and I just started running for her; it was a bunch of screaming and a bunch of running," Williams said.
Police say it was just after 5:30 p.m. that 35th district police rushed to the scene after reports of multiple gunshots fired.
"Upon arrival, they found a 43-year-old male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the neck, face and head, He was pronounced dead at 5:37 p.m.," Philadelphia Police Chief Scott Small said.
The victim was identified by friends and family as Troy Dickson. He is a barber and has an 11-year-old son.
Police say they found at least seven bullet casings on the scene.
The shooting was just a block away from LaSalle University where some of the students heard the shots.
"School's not in the greatest neighborhoods, but they keep it relatively safe. This is definitely the closest anything has happen," LaSalle sophomore Pat Knaus said.
Police say it was nothing short of a miracle that none of the children and teenagers playing in the playground were struck by a bullet.
"The kids can't play anywhere. What are they going to do. I mean, it's not even summer. This is just crazy, it's uncalled for,"
"A lot of people need to wake up, you see a crime, say something, you know who it is, say something, stop being scared, that's why the city is the way it is cause don't nobody want to be a snitch," Logan resident Tawana Boyd said.
