Neighbors shocked after man fatally stabbed in South Philadelphia; police searching for suspect

PHILADELPHIA - Police are investigating a deadly stabbing that occurred Saturday afternoon on the 400 block of Tasker Street in South Philadelphia.

Officers were called to the area just before 2:30 p.m. for reports of a shooting. When they arrived, they found a 30-year-old man who had been stabbed in the chest. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Authorities have not released his name as they continue notifying family members.

"This is an utterly terrible thing to happen in any neighborhood," neighbor Daniel Symonds said.

Michelle Schneider, who lives around the block, said she was inside when the stabbing occurred. "I didn't witness anything at the time, just saw people standing outside afterward looking discouraged," she said.

Residents said the violence was especially unsettling because it happened in broad daylight in a neighborhood known for its families and nearby park.

"It was alarming especially because it was in the middle of the day and there are so many kids and families around," Schneider said.

"I think it's kind of brazen, and I think that people feel that can get away with anything these days," one neighbor said.

Neighbors said the park around the corner is often filled with children. "There's hundreds of kids playing in the park all the time, and we've got one of the cutest, nicest places to live in Philly," Symonds said. "So it's a surprise violence like this would strike."

Still, many said they refuse to let fear take hold as police continue to search for the suspect. "It's a lovely neighborhood and I feel grateful we have such a nice community here and we had people to check in with immediately," neighbor Lily Goldberg said. "It's nice to see people back in the park hanging out today."

Police said detectives are gathering evidence. Anyone with information is urged to contact authorities.