Overbrook community mourns teen murder victim

PHILADELPHIA - July 28, 2012 (WPVI) -- A Philadelphia community came together Saturday night to remember a life cut too short. The teen victim was gunned down as he was getting ready for college.

"My brother was a good person. He'll do anything for anybody," said Lashante Rudd, the victim's sister.

Friends and family gathered near 67th and Leeds Street in West Philadelphia to remember 18-year-old Andre Strum.

They lit candles and wrote messages for the young man who was shot and killed early Thursday morning near his Overbrook home.

"The guy was basically trying to rob him or something," said Sharif Johnson. "He didn't deserve this. That man didn't bother anybody."

Loved ones say Andre had just graduated from Camelot Academy. He had big plans for his future, including studying business at Harcum College where he had recently been accepted.

Andre hoped to one day own his own company.

"He had just been accepted to college. The day he was murdered he took a placement test, and he was on his way out of here," said Lashante Rudd.

This was not the only violence this neighborhood has seen in recent days. Just blocks away on Tuesday evening, two teenaged brothers were murdered inside their Overbrook Park home.

There was a big turnout Saturday night, the loss devastating for neighbors. They say this violence needs to stop.

"It has to stop, it's has to stop, it has to stop. You got the wrong one. It has to stop," said Rudd.

Family members say they will continue to look to each other for strength, as police continue to investigate who was behind Andre's murder.

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homicide, shooting, overbrook, philadelphia, local/state, katherine scott

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