Shock, sadness over vendor murder in North Phila.

NORTH PHILADELPHIA - August 13, 2012 (WPVI) -- Family and friends are grieving after a newspaper vendor well-known in his community was found shot to death inside his North Philadelphia apartment.

"Doesn't make any sense. He's my oldest brother, and you're just going to kill him?"

Linda Stanley was stunned to hear that her brother Aamar Stanley was shot and killed early Monday morning inside his North Philadelphia apartment. Not only did he live on this block, but he worked here, selling newspapers.

"They killed my brother," she said. "For what? Papers? Cigarettes? Come on, now."

"Murder around here is senseless," said Aamar's brother Ronald Stanley. "Murdering people for no apparent reason."

Late Monday morning, detectives returned to the 2200 block of West Lehigh Avenue, trying to learn more about what exactly happened here earlier.

Police had arrived around 4:00 a.m. and found the 63-year-old man shot three times inside his second-floor home. He was pronounced dead within the hour at Temple University Hospital.

Neighbors say you could always see him selling newspapers on the street around 23rd and Lehigh. He was a father and a hard worker. They can't imagine why someone would want to hurt him.

"Aamar was my wake-up call," said neighbor Regina Young. "Every time I wake up and look out the window I'm looking for Aamar. If I don't see Aamar I know it's time to lay back down."

"So to hear what happened to him is very devastating," said neighbor Charles Crawford. "It's a shame what this city, what this world has come to."

No arrests have been made as an investigation continues.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Philadelphia Police at 215-686-TIPS or through phillypolice.com.

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homicide, shooting, north philadelphia, philadelphia, local/state

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