Police: Deli shooting may be linked to triple homicide

OVERBROOK - September 27, 2011

Investigators say right before lunchtime, the men pretended they wanted a sandwich, but they were really looking for cash.

They didn't even give the 25-year-old victim time to turn around before he was shot.

Neighbors told Action News he's been a part of this community for a few years now.

"Very nice, if I was short [of money], my children were short, he would always lets us go, we are just going to keep him in our prayers," one neighbor said.

Witnesses say a getaway driver was waiting for the two men.

One robber fumbled out of the business and dropped his gun.

Now, police are trying to figure out if the violent crime could have been committed by the same men who walked into Lorena's Grocery on September 6th and killed three members of the family that owned the store.

Lorena's is also in West Philadelphia, two and a half miles away from 65th Street Deli which is located on the 6500 block of Lebanon Avenue

"We have a store owner, who obviously has a deli, which is one of the similarities and we have two offenders, one being taller, one being shorter, both being black which is the other similarity, fleeing on foot," Philadelphia Police Lieutenant John Walker said.

With the violence at the two corner stores this month, residents tell Action News they think twice before entering one.

Meanwhile, the victim remains in critical condition at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.