Investigators said the home tied to the order reported that no food delivery had been requested.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — Philadelphia police are investigating whether a food delivery order was used to lure a 42-year-old driver before he was shot and killed Tuesday night in Southwest Philadelphia.
The driver was making a DoorDash delivery when gunfire broke out just before 9:30 p.m. on the 1000 block of South Ithan Street, police said. Officers found him on the roadway beside his running vehicle. He had a gunshot wound to the back of the head and was rushed to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he died at 10 p.m.
Chief Inspector Scott Small said investigators became suspicious after speaking with people at the delivery address. They told police they had not ordered food. Small said the evidence suggested the driver was targeted, though police had not named a motive or identified who placed the order. A DoorDash bag and multiple cellphones were found near the victim.
Investigators also recovered two spent rifle shell casings close to where the driver fell. Police said that evidence indicated the shots were fired from a short distance. The victim’s vehicle was still running when officers arrived, and police said it was registered to him. His identity had not been released Wednesday morning.
Police were looking for three male suspects who were wearing dark clothing and masks. Officials said surveillance cameras in the area may help detectives identify the suspects or track their movements before and after the shooting. No arrests had been announced.
The case adds to concern around crimes involving delivery workers, who often work alone and stop at unfamiliar addresses. Police in Philadelphia recently investigated another fatal shooting of a delivery worker after an order was sent to a vacant unit. In the Southwest Philadelphia case, investigators had not said whether robbery was a factor or whether anything was taken from the driver.
Detectives were expected to review delivery app records, phone information, nearby camera footage and 911 calls as they worked to build a timeline. Police had not announced any public briefing or court proceeding because no suspect had been charged.
By Wednesday, the block remained the center of a homicide investigation, with the unanswered question focused on who ordered the food and why the driver was sent there.
Author note: Last updated July 8, 2026.