DJ fatally shot in South Street ice cream shop

Homicide detectives are on South Street this morning investigating the overnight murder of a DJ who was shot and killed while returning home from a music gig.

The 36-year-old victim, whose identity police have not released yet, lived above a Haagen-Dazs ice cream parlor on the 200 block of South Street.

Police said two men rushed the victim from behind in an apparent robbery attempt as he was loading his gear back into his apartment.

He was shot multiple times, police said.

The victim, who also works as a cook on South Street, according to police sources, was returning home from a music gig in West Philadelphia around 3:30 a.m.

A friend had driven him home and helped him unload his gear in the doorway of the store. To gain access into his upstairs apartment, the victim had to cut through the ice cream parlor, and had a key to the shop, police said.

As the friend walked back to his car, he noticed the equipment still in the doorway and went back to check if everything was all right, police said.

One of the attackers blocked him at the doorway of the store telling him to, "Get the [expletive] out of here," police sources said.

The witness then heard shots from inside. When the attackers ran off, the witness found the victim behind the counter, police said.

He was pronounced dead on the scene.

Police were collecting surveillance footage from nearby stores on South early Street Saturday morning, but one resident who lives on nearby South American Street said his home security camera captured clear shots of who police believe is one of the fleeing suspects.

The resident, who asked not to be identified, said the video, which he has given to police, shows a bearded man in a gray hoodie sweatshirt and camo shorts running south on American Street.

The suspect, who is described as black and medium built, was pulling off a pair of gloves as he ran, the resident said.

Police recovered the gloves and sweatshirt further down on American Street, which they believe the suspect threw off as he ran away.

Shocked neighbors stood behind the yellow crime tape Saturday morning as crime scene investigators lifted the victim's body into a medical examiner's van.

Early morning dog walkers stopped to look.

Larkin Connolly, 64, of American Street, shook his head as the van drove off.

This killing was only the latest in a spat of shootings in the South Street area in the last two years, he noted.

Not two weeks ago, the neighborhood pharmacist was robbed and shot near Fourth and Pine Streets, Connolly noted.

Last July, Michael G. Hagan Jr., 32, an information-technology consultant was shot and killed during a late-night robbery at Fourth and Lombard streets. That killing remains unsolved.

Police believe Hagan's murder is unrelated to the 2011 attempted robbery and shooting at Fourth and Pine Street that left a 46-year-old man paralyzed. That shooting also remains unsolved.

The brazen violence has left neighbors shaken, Connolly said.

Even at 3:30 a.m., South Street is well-lit and still busy with taxi cabs and late-night buses, Connolly said.

"This emphasizes how much crime has gotten out of control, Connolly said. "You obviously don't feel safe."

Anyone with information should call the Homicide Unit at 215-686-3334.

Contact staff writer Mike Newall at 215-854-2759 or mnewall@phillynews.com.