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Police: Well-Known Local Musician's Death 'Suspicious'

BRISTOL, Pa. (CBS) -- He was a well-known local musician who played alongside legends, and now he is dead.

Danny DeGennaro was an immensely talented guitarist from lower Bucks County. His friends say he sang whenever and wherever he could and also performed with band members of the Grateful Dead and the E-Street Band. By all accounts, the 56-year-old loved life, so his sudden death Wednesday night came has a huge shock for those who knew him well.

"Very bizarre. I don't know what to make of it," Nick Wilson said.

Wilson grew up with DeGennaro. He is also the one who called 911 when DeGennaro's roommate came running for help.

"He said that he was downstairs, and he walked up the steps, and that was it, and he panicked and ran over here. That was his first instinct," Wilson explained.

Police say they responded to a report of a person who had fallen. When officers arrived, they found DeGennaro bleeding from a single gunshot wound to his chest. He was rushed to the hospital, where he later died.

Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler said, "At this point, it's a suspicious death. It could be homicide, could conceivably not be homicide—we're evaluating all the options."

Authorities say the weapon used was a shotgun. While a shotgun was recovered from the home, it is unclear if it's the same weapon that was used in the shooting. The investigation continues, leaving some neighbors wondering and worrying if a killer is out there.

Donna Gill, a neighbor, said, "A little scared, somebody still around? How did it happen? We just don't know the whole story."

Investigators say they hope to learn more after the autopsy, which is scheduled to be performed some time on Friday.

As of Thursday night, officials say they had no suspects and had not figured out a motive.

DeGennaro leaves behind his 20-year-old daughter, as well as two siblings.

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