Woman, 83, dies after being shot in Germantown

GERMANTOWN (WPVI) -- Philadelphia police are investigating the shooting death of a woman in the city's Germantown section.

It happened around 12:30 p.m. Thursday in the 400 block of East Cosgrove Street.

Police say they found the 83-year-old woman inside a home with two gunshot wounds to the chest.

Paramedics took the woman to Albert Einstein Medical Center where she was pronounced dead.

Detectives made their way in and out with evidence bags, as family members embraced on the sidewalk outside in disbelief over her violent death.

The victim's son has identified her as Mary Morton.

Morton's granddaughter, Robin Robinson, said she found out the terrible news on TV - that her vibrant, spunky grandmother had been shot to death.

Robinson says, "She was a religious person, great spirit, walk around the neighborhood. She was very open with everyone."

Neighbors describe her as a vibrant woman who was very active and knew many of her neighbors. She also spent much of her time caring for her sick husband, who is in his 90s.

Family and neighbors say Morton's husband has Alzheimer's disease. He remained in the home while detectives investigated.

When we spoke with neighbors, they say they can't believe she's gone.

Russell Mann tells us, "I believe she'd open the door to anyone because the community... there's a lot of older people. She'd open the door to anyone."

And Joseph Paul says, "She worked out at the Y... She was vibrant. She was a churchgoing lady."

According to Morton's children she was not only a mother of six, she was also a grandmother and great-grandmother.

Police say they have recovered a weapon and they do consider this death to be suspicious.

No arrests have been made.