A 37-year-old man died after being assaulted with a rock Tuesday in North Philly, according to police.
Authorities found the man in the area of North Mascher and West Ontario streets, not far from Cramp Elementary School, just after 11:45 a.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene about 20 minutes later, police said.
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Residents of the neighborhood told 6ABC that the man allegedly was stealing from a homeowner on Waterloo Street before the fatal assault occurred.
There have been 350 homicides reported in Philadelphia this year — a 19% increase from this time last year, according to police data. The city has seen an increase in homicides every year since 2017 and is on pace to reach 500 for the first time since 1990.