Community Mourns Slain Grocery Store Clerk, Suspect At Large
By Elizabeth Hur
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter is scheduled to announce a safety plan just days after a grocery store clerk was killed execution-style.
On the eve of the announcement, the victim's West Kensington community came together to mourn her loss.
For a grieving community, it's not uncommon to see neighbors hold a vigil after losing one of their own. What was unusual in this case, however, was no one there wanted their faces shown or their names used on the news.
"We're scared, yes we are. The whole community's is scared."
They're scared because family members believe 29-year-old Reyna Aguirre Alonso was shot and killed Monday night for talking to police about another murder she had witnessed back in November.
"We need protection for our people and maybe then people will start coming out and speaking."
"Now there's a face out there, supposedly it's the guy that murdered the first guy in November."
With Jorge Aldea, the suspect in the November killing still on the loose, whether he is tied to Reyna's murder or not, neighbors say they are nervous.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey responded, "They can't shoot everybody. If we stand united and stand together then we can get them off the streets. We can make the streets safer for everyone.
Ramsey says police are doing their part. For starters, Eyewitness News learned the 3300 block of Mutter Street, where Reyna was murdered, will be monitored by police around the clock for the time being.
"There will be a reward on this case, we're working on that now and there will be something announced fairly soon on that," Ramsey added.
Also on the agenda is a community focused agenda: "highlighting prevention, intervention and collaboration".
Mayor Nutter along with public safety officials will make that announcement Thursday afternoon.
As for the latest in the investigation of Reyna's murder, Ramsey said, "We do have some direction in the case. I don't want to get into too much detail right now but I am confident we will solve this case. It's a question of how long it'll take."
