PHILADELPHIA ( Associated Press) – A Philippine government lawyer was shot and killed in an Uber during a trip to Philadelphia, officials said Sunday.
John Albert Lelo was on his way to Philadelphia International Airport to catch a flight with his mother and Uber was stopped at a red light near the University of Pennsylvania at around 4:10 a.m. Saturday, officials said.
Police said several shots were fired at Uber from a black vehicle.
Police said in a statement that the black vehicle overpowered Uber and fired multiple shots.
Police said Lailo was shot in the back of the head and taken to a hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead on Sunday.
Police said no arrests have been made in connection with the case and no weapons have been found. Officials did not speculate on the motive for the attack or say whether the attack was aimed at Laylo, his mother or the Uber driver.
Murder detectives have launched an investigation and are trying to see if video cameras have captured the incident.
According to Philadelphia broadcaster KYW-TV, the Philippine consulate general said the victim was an advocate for his government.
It is unknown whether the Uber driver and Lalo’s mother were injured. The mother said on Facebook on Sunday that she was hit by shrapnel and was on leave with her 35-year-old son.
“I never thought or dreamed that … our vacation would end like this!” Leah Bustamante Lelo wrote in a message that contained photos of her and her son’s places to visit in New York, Washington and Philadelphia.
“We traveled together and we had to return home together! I’ll take him in a coffin soon!”
Philadelphia and other large cities in the United States are seeing an increase in gun violence.
On June 4, three people were killed and several injured in a gunfight in the South Street entertainment district from which Lalo was attacked.
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