A Tacony Chinese takeout restaurant owner was shot dead in front of his wife and 8-month-old daughter Friday night despite the wife telling the masked men that they could take what they wanted, according to Philadelphia police.
On Monday the search for the alleged killers continued as police announced a $15,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect(s) who killed the father of three.
Police say that around 7 p.m. Friday two armed men entered the Jin House Chinese restaurant on the 4800 block of Longshore Avenue and demanded money. Xiang Huang's wife told the would-be robbers that they could take what they wanted, cops said.
But the only thing the masked men took was the life of 27-year-old Huang, cops said.
"The owner apparently said, 'take what you want,' but for some reason... one of these perpetrators fired one shot and struck the owner in the left side of his chest killing him instantly behind the counter," said Chief Inspector Scott Small.
Huang, who neighbors called "Juan" and his wife Jin Zheng, known as "Candy," were in the store with their 8-month-old daughter at the time of the shooting. Candy was holding their daughter at the time of the murder, cops said.
"It's horrible for someone who's behind the counter to be shot for no apparent reason," Small said. "From what we understand these perpetrators didn't get anything, got no money."
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After the apparent botched robbery, the two suspects ran out of the store and headed up north on Tulip Street, cops said.
The only description given of the suspects was that they were black men who were wearing dark clothes and possibly black ski masks.
Police are asking for the public's help to find the suspects and hope the reward will help.
"We know that there were some people in the Chinese store right before the killers came in," said Police Capt. James Clark. "We need those people to come forward and tell us what they know."
Police were reviewing "picture perfect" surveillance video to try and get better descriptions of the suspects, sources told NBC10.
Anyone with information is asked to call 911.
In a sad twist, family member's tell NBC10 that the store was robbed before and Huang planned on closing the store when the lease expired in the spring.
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