Philadelphia police identified a woman who was shot and killed outside of a deli in North Philadelphia over the weekend.
Victoria Romulus, 32, was walking southbound along the 4800 block of North Broad Street around 4:45 p.m. on Saturday when at least one shot was fired.
Romulus was shot once in the back. She ran into a nearby deli and collapsed inside the store, according to Philadelphia Police Inspector D.F. Pace.
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The people who were inside the deli when Romulus ran in told NBC10 that she uttered the word, "help," before she collapsed.
"It’s horrible. And I’m tired of seeing it. I’m tired of seeing it," a witness said.
Responding medics took Romulus to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead just before 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, according to officials.
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“I thought she was gonna make it. She’s somebody’s daughter, somebody’s mother possibly. But whoever did it, I hope they catch him," one witness said.
Police said they had a difficult time finding any evidence of a shooting at first but later they discovered three spent shell casings about three blocks away on the other side of the street.
"“We are investigating whether or not those three shell casings are connected to the shooting or not. That is a considerable distance. If that is, in fact, the case that would mean tragically this would be an unintended target. But we do not know definitively whether or not those three shell casings ae connected to the shooting," Pace said.
Officers secured the deli after the shooting, police said. No arrests have been made, no weapons have been recovered and police have not released information on any suspects or a possible motive.
This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.
