June 20 (UPI) — A government attorney for the Philippines was shot and killed while traveling in an Uber to the Philadelphia airport, authorities and officials said.
Elmer Cato, the consulate general for the Philippines in New York, confirmed via Twitter on Sunday that attorney John Albert Laylo was a victim of a “random shooting incident” in Philadelphia a day prior.
Police laylo-shot-killed-filipino-lawyer-philippines-university-city-philadelphia/”>said Laylo and his mother, Leah Bustamante Laylo, were traveling early Saturday in an Uber from University City to Philadelphia International Airport when shots were fired into the vehicle.
A preliminary investigation has revealed that the pair, who were returning home following a trip to the United States, were stopped at a red light when a black car, possibly a Nissan Maxima, drove up behind the Uber and a shooter opened fire. The car then pulled up alongside the Uber and more shots were fired, police said.
Laylo was shot in the back of the head and responding officers transported him to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center,uber/3275607/”> NBC Philadelphia reported.
Cato said Laylo was put on life support, but authorities later said he was pronounced dead at 10:33 a.m. Sunday.
The cause of the shooting was unknown and police were searching for the gunman, authorities said.
Chel Diokno, a human rights attorney and a former professor to Laylo, said he was “truly saddened” to hear of the passing of his former student.
“My deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. I pray that they may find comfort during this time of grief,” he tweeted. “I also hope that justice will be served to whoever is behind this gruesome killing.”
Philadelphia has seen significant gun violence this year, particularly this month. According to a tracker of gun violence in the city run by City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart, there have been 229 homicides in Philadelphia this year, representing a 9% decrease from 2021.
