Masked man stabs, kills man playing gaming machine inside laundromat/gas station

Someone approached a man playing a gambling machine inside a West Philadelphia gas station/laundromat Friday morning and "for no apparent reason" stabbed him to death, Philadelphia police said.

Philadelphia police investigators taped off the area around the Exxon gas station and laundromat at North 63rd and Vine streets on Oct. 18, 2024.

Video captured the stabbing, which began inside the laundromat shortly before 5:30 a.m., Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.

"From watching interior surveillance cameras, we see that this 31-year-old victim was inside a laundromat, which is attached to the gas station, and he was playing those gambling games of skill... when you can see the perpetrator walk up to the victim -- and for no apparent reason from watching the recording -- begins stabbing the victim multiple times," Small said.

The stabbing victim struggled with his killer -- who wore a mask and dark hoodie -- and they then went out of camera view, Small said. The stabbing victim then wound up outside.

Police officers found the man on the ground near his parked car and the gas pumps, semi-conscious and "bleeding heavily from multiple stab wounds to his torso," Small said.

Officers rushed the man to a nearby hospital where he died a short time later, Small said.

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After the stabbing, the killer possibly went into a nearby house along 63rd Street, Small said. Police took several potential witnesses from that home in for questioning from homicide detectives.

"We believe they do have some information about this homicide," Small said.

What police did know was that the stabbing victim parked his car in front of the gas station/laundromat, before going inside, Small said. Arriving officers found the dying man on the ground near his car, which was part of the crime scene.

The search for the killer continued Friday morning, Small said. No knife was immediately recovered at the scene.

A $20,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction. People with info should contact Philadelphia police.

Despite this killing, murders are down in Philadelphia this year, according to police data. Entering Friday, at least 206 homicides had been reported in the city, which is down about 50% year to date and the lowest such tally in a decade.