June 6, 2021- 3:40 p.m.
A manhunt was underway Sunday in Philadelphia for the man who robbed a doughnut shop and fatally shot the manager before fleeing in a crime caught on video.
Surveillance video released by police shows the man approach the 41-year-old manager as she was unlocking the Dunkin’ shop Saturday morning just before 5:30 a.m., pushing her into the store at gunpoint. Video from another camera shows the manager giving the man cash from the office.
Video of the shooting was not released, but police said in a statement the man then shot her once in the head. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police released portions of the surveillance video and announced a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Co-workers, customers, family and loved ones gathered for a memorial outside the store later Saturday.
“She was a special person,” Gilberto Melendez, who used to work with the victim, told 6abc.com. “It’s crazy that somebody can just come and take somebody’s life like it’s nothing.”
Ariel Rodriguez, told cbslocal.com that “she was a people person, oh God, it’s hard.”
“This was really the dagger, it hurts so much, so hard because innocent people are getting killed,” Danny Davis said.
Dunkin’, which has dropped “Donuts” from its name, issued a statement saying the franchise owner was cooperating fully with the local authorities in their investigation.
“All of us at Dunkin’ are saddened to learn of the death of a restaurant manager, and our thoughts go out to her family and friends,” the statement said.
Police are looking for a Black man believed to be in his late 30s to early 40s, medium to stocky build, with a mustache and goatee. The suspect was wearing a blue zip-up hooded sweatshirt during the shooting as well as gray cargo sweatpants, light gray New Balance sneakers, an analog wristwatch and had blue gloves and a face mask.
Several other people were killed or wounded in other shootings and stabbings around the city over the weekend. Police statistics indicate the number of homicides in Philadelphia is running more than 30% above the number at this time last year, the Associated Press reported.
In total in 2020, Philadelphia recorded 499 homicides – the most murders since 500 homicides that were recorded in 1990.
