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Police: 21-Year-Old Man Shot In Head, Killed Inside Of West Philadelphia Laundromat

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Police say a 21-year-old man was shot in the head and killed inside of a West Philadelphia laundromat Thursday afternoon. It happened on the 5600 block of Vine Street just before 4:30 p.m.

It was a terrifying afternoon for adults and kids inside the laundromat. Police say the victim likely never saw his killer.

There is really only one way to describe what happened at the laundromat Thursday afternoon.

"It's very cowardly and this is a very, very dangerous individual," Philadelphia Police Chief Insp. Scott Small said.

Small says that dangerous individual is a man who was wearing a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt. He entered the laundromat, approached the 21-year-old victim and fatally shot him at point-blank range.

"The victim is standing at one of those coin-operated machines. The shooter walked up behind the victim and shot him in the back of the head. It does not appear that the victim ever saw this coming," Small said.

Keith Jones is one of 15 others police say was inside the laundromat at the time of the killing. He says he's glad no one else was hurt.

'There was a bunch of kids in there playing tag in there at the time," Jones said.

Jones says he's upset over the constant killing.

"This whole black on black crime needs to stop. This situation is getting old. We're getting as bad as Chicago," he said.

Jones wishes for a return to what he says was a better way to handle conflict.

"Those people who are carrying guns now are scared to fight," Jones said.

Investigators say the laundromat has multiple cameras and the entire killing was captured on video.

Now police are racing to make an arrest.

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