Days after a worker -- who customers said ran the store -- was found shot to death, surrounded by cash from the register inside a Northeast Philadelphia store, a man now faces murder charges while police identified a second suspect who they are currently searching for.
A woman flagged down a Philadelphia police officer around 12:30 a.m. on July 11, 2024, to alert the officer that a man was shot inside the Frankford Convenience Store along Pratt Street, near Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.
"The officer immediately went to that location, entered the store and found a male laying on the floor of the store in the employee section," Small said.
The unresponsive man -- later identified as 37-year-old Kenneth Kennedy-McLeod -- was bleeding from his shoulder and torso, investigators said.
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That officer with some other officers rushed Kennedy-McLeod to a nearby hospital, but it was too late, Small said. The man died a short time later.
"I'm mad they did that, whoever did it, he didn’t have to go, he didn’t have to die," a customer who asked not to be identified said. "Nobody should lose their life.”
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
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Police officers investigating the scene found the cash register open and several bills near where Kennedy-McLeod -- known to people in the neighborhood as "Flock" -- was found, Small said.
It appeared possible that "this may have been a robbery that escalated to a homicide," Small said.
Investigators found evidence that at least five shots were fired in the store, police said.
On Tuesday, July 16, 2024, 37-year-old Kharee Simmons was arrested in West Philadelphia, police said the next day.
Simmons was charged with murder, robbery, criminal conspiracy and theft, police said. It was unclear if Simmons had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
Police also identified a second suspect in the shooting who they are currently searching for as Siddeeq Shakoor. A $20,000 reward is being offered for information leading to Shakoor's arrest.
If you have any information on Shakoor's whereabouts, please call the Philadelphia Police Homicide Unit at 215-686-334. You can also call or text the Philadelphia Police tip line at 215-686-TIPS (8477). Tips can remain anonymous.
The incident was one of five shootings that occurred in a five-hour span in Philadelphia last Wednesday night through Thursday morning.
Entering Wednesday, at least 140 homicides have happened in Philadelphia this year, according to police data. That's down 39% from last year and the lowest year-to-date homicide total since 2016.
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