Christine Lugo Dunkin Donuts Philadelphia store manager shot dead during armed robbery by black man caught in video footage. Manhunt underway for suspect.
A manhunt is underway for a ‘black man’ caught on surveillance camera shooting dead a North Philadelphia area Dunkin’ Donuts store manager after robbing the fast food outlet over the weekend.
Captured footage (see below) shows the suspect approach 41-year-old Christine Lugo, as she is about to open for the day at around 5.30a.m. Saturday and start to talk to her.
The male suspect is then seen grabbing her with his left hand, holding a revolver in his right, and forcing the victim inside the door.
The footage later cuts to the two in a supply closet, as Lugo proceeds to open a cash box and handing the un-identified suspect an undisclosed amount of money, which he puts in his left pants pocket and then go on to shoot her.
Lugo was fatally shot in the head at 5:51 a.m. and was pronounced dead six minutes later upon police arrived on the scene located at Lehigh Avenue and Fairhill Street. The suspect had fled the scene, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported citing police.
‘Why shoot her dead?’
Christine Lugo, was later identified as being a mother of two and a grandmother who was described as having a ‘kind heart’, according to CBS 3 News.
‘She was an angel, a mother to all of us,’ Larry Evans, a store employee who joined a group of mourners outside the West Kensington store Saturday to pay homage to Lugo. ‘No matter who you are she’d give you the shirt off her back,’ the worker told the Inquirer.
Store regulars told of the slain Dunkin Donuts manager ‘always remembering’ their orders.
‘My favorite coffee, she always knew it was extra-large, eight sugars and extra cream, every single day,’ Ariel Rodriguez, a regular customer told Philadelphia CBS.
‘She was a special person,’ Gilberto Melendez, a former co-worker, told ABC News. ‘It’s crazy that somebody can just come and take somebody’s life like it’s nothing.’
Dunkin’ Donuts released a statement saying: ‘We are aware of the tragic incident that occurred at the Dunkin’ restaurant on Lehigh Street in Philadelphia. All of us at Dunkin’ are saddened to learn of the death of a restaurant manager and our thoughts go out to her family and friends.’
It added: ‘The franchise owner is cooperating fully with the local authorities in their investigation.’
Manhunt for suspect
The suspect is described as a black man in his late 30s to early 40s with a mustache and goatee who has a medium to stocky build.
He was wearing a blue zip-up hooded sweater and gray cargo sweatpants with light gray New Balance sneakers at the time of the robbery and murder with an analog watch on his right wrist, blue gloves and a facemask.
Police are offering a $20,000 reward for any information that could lead to the suspect’s arrest and anyone with information should call the Homicide Unit at (215) 686 -3334 or the Department tip line at (315) 686 – TIPS.
Tips can be sent to [email protected] or texted to PPDTIP.
