Masked suspects kill man eating sandwich at Philadelphia corner store
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania -- Police say a man was brutally murdered while trying to enjoy his dinner at a neighborhood corner store.
Carlos Viruet, 22, was killed around 7 p.m. Wednesday night when two armed men fired over 20 shots at him while he sat on a milk crate, eating a sandwich and drinking a soda he had just ordered.
Officers rushed to the scene and found Viruet's body in the middle of a store aisle.
"They found a 22-year-old man inside the store, lying in one of the aisles, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his head, neck, chest, abdomen and legs," said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small.
Employees told police the suspects were just feet away from Viruet when the gunshots rang out.
"That's when two men with masks walked in, both had guns," said Small. "They went right up to the individual, point-blank range, and fired over 20 shots."
Police said they found more than 20 shell casings from two different caliber semi-automatic weapons scattered about near the victim.
Police rushed the man to Temple University Hospital, but it was too late.
"However he was struck so many times by gunfire, in so many parts of his body, including his head and neck, he was pronounced dead almost immediately upon arrival," said Small.
Police said the two masked men, who at this time remain unidentified, ran off in an unknown direction.
"Right now we don't have a motive for the shooting," said Small. "However there was no robbery that took place of the victim, nor was there a robbery of the variety store."
Homicide detectives continue to interview witnesses inside the store. They are also reviewing surveillance footage from inside and outside the mini-market as they try to track the assailants.
