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Slaying at water-ice stand stuns neighbors

A fatal shooting outside a Rita's Water Ice shop in West Oak Lane left neighbors bewildered Wednesday as word spread of a crime that took place at a spot popular with families and children.

A fatal shooting outside a Rita's Water Ice shop in West Oak Lane left neighbors bewildered Wednesday as word spread of a crime that took place at a spot popular with families and children.

Dyrell Brown, who stopped by the shop for a cool treat amid Wednesday's afternoon heat, said he was surprised to learn that it was the site of a shooting the night before.

"I didn't know about anything like that," Brown said of the slaying.

Police were called to the Rita's at Stenton Avenue and Haines Street at 9:27 p.m. Tuesday, where they found Marquine Pickett, 19, in the parking lot in front of the store with a gunshot wound to the chest. He was the apparent victim of a robbery, police said.

Pickett, of Master Street near 58th Street in West Philadelphia, was taken to Albert Einstein Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Police said they were looking for two men, both possibly wearing red scarves over their faces. Police also were looking for a silver Chevrolet Impala seen leaving the scene.

A day later, the place was back to business, with customers lined up outside on a steamy afternoon. Among those standing in line was Bruce Stafford, a retired police officer who lamented the gunfire that struck the unlikely scene.

"These guys are crazy," he said. "All they want to do is steal something."