PHILADELPHIA, April 25 (UPI) — Philadelphia authorities continue to investigate a bizarre homicide that happened Sunday and carries at least some degree of political relation, officials said Monday.
Investigators said the victim is 21-year-old Alex Cherry — a man who hoped to get involved in the Pennsylvania political process. Sunday, after he spoke with a candidate running for a seat in the state House, a gunman abruptly approached and shot him in the head before fleeing.
The shooting occurred in the Cedarbrook section of Philadelphia.
Police say after shooting Cherry, the gunman walked away, paused, and returned to shoot him twice more. The shooting happened moments after Cherry spoke about joining House candidate Chris Rabb’s campaign.
“He was enthusiastic about the political process,” Rabb said.
“We were impressed by this young man, and I asked my colleague to get his information. Moments after we got his information, he was shot in the head,” he added.
The gunman or gunmen have not yet been captured, officials said.
Cherry’s death was the sixth homicide in Philadelphia last weekend. In fact, Cherry was a friend of another man who was shot dead hours later — leading police to believe the crimes are related.
“We do think this is a nexus to the other shooting. We do not doubt that for a second,” Philadelphia Police Department Commissioner Richard Ross said.
Rabb’s campaign manager, Chris Visco, described the scene as exceptionally bloody and called it an “execution style” shooting.
Authorities are still investigating the shootings and trying to determine a motive.
