2 years later and still no arrest in murder of Amber Long in Northern Liberties

Tuesday, January 19, 2016
VIDEO: 2 year since woman shot dead in Northern Liberties
Police continue search for Amber Long?s killer.

NORTHERN LIBERTIES (WPVI) -- It's been two years since a purse snatching turned deadly in Northern Liberties. Amber Long was shot to death, and Philadelphia police are still looking for her killer.

The attack happened on January 19, 2014 along the 900 block of North Front Street.

Surveillance video of the attack show Long, a 26-year-old architect, walking with her mother on the way to her car when two men approach from behind and grab their purses.

Stephanie Long, Amber's mother, put up no resistance, but Amber held on for a second too long. Her assailant pulled a 22 caliber pistol and shot her in the stomach.

Philadelphia Police Captain James Clark says, "One of the males shoots the daughter, and you actually see her die in her mother's arms. It was just one of the saddest videos I've seen."

In the video the killers are seen fleeing to a rental car, but the images are too blurry to make out license numbers on the Chevy Impala.

Police have relentlessly hunted the two or three suspects, including a possible getaway driver.

Captain Clark explains, "We have a couple different people through tips that we're looking at, we're doing background on. But right now not strong enough for us to say we have a person of interest."

It has been nearly one year since a 26-year-old woman was shot and killed.

Fred and Suzanne Florian walk past the murder scene every day, and the crime still eats at them.

Fred is a retired Philadelphia police officer. He tells us, "I'm frustrated - we're all frustrated - over a pocketbook that had no contents at all."

Suzanne says, "I feel so bad for the mother and the whole family. And she was so young and so talented, and to be gone like that in an instant it's such a shame."

Captain Clark says, "We know somebody knows who did this. We just need them to call our unit and give us the information."

Amber Long's alma mater, Philadelphia University, has now established a scholarship in her name - its endowment now well over $34,000.

A $47,000 reward is posted for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect in this case. If you have any information, please contact Philadelphia police.

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