Pizza Delivery Man Is Murdered After Being Called to Vacant Philadelphia Home

A pizza delivery man in Philadelphia was robbed and fatally shot while delivering a pizza to an abandoned home in what police said was an orchestrated ambush.

Bobby Jenkins, 30, who worked for Stacy’s Pizza, was shot in the chest at about 7 p.m. Tuesday while delivering a pizza in the Overbrook Park neighborhood, Capt. Jason Smith said at a press conference.

Calling the killing a “senseless tragedy,” Smith said Jenkins was robbed of unspecified items and the shooter, who used a handgun, fled. No arrests had been made as of Wednesday and PEOPLE’s inquiry to Philadelphia police was not immediately returned.

Smith said the rear door of the home had been forced open — and that the crime “bears a strong resemblance” to a non-fatal robbery of a pizza delivery person on Feb. 17 about four miles away. In both cases, said Smith, an abandoned home was used as a delivery address and the rear door was forced open.

“We are looking at the possibility that this was not an isolated incident,” said Smith, who urged “businesses who conduct food deliveries to please be careful when receiving orders, especially with new telephone numbers which haven’t been used to place previous orders.”

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Stacy’s Pizza owner George Economo told CBS-Philly that Jenkins was a new employee and a “good guy.”

“The kid came here a couple weeks ago, asked for a job, I tried to give him some days,” Economo said. “He was a very nice guy, actually. I said, ‘Bob, you’re a very good guy, if you need more days, I’ll give you more days.’ ”

Jenkins’ friend, Chloe Saunders, said he was trying to make extra money so he could start his own business.

“This is a 20-year friendship and he’s a daily part of my life,” she said, adding, “It’s unfortunate you can’t feel safe in your own neighborhoods.”