Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 21) — The random shooting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that led to the death of a visiting Filipino lawyer could be a case of mistaken identity, the Philippine Consulate General in New York said on Tuesday.
“The fatal shooting of Filipino lawyer John Albert Laylo could be a case of mistaken identity, according to police sources who say [the] gunman appear[ed] to have fired at the wrong vehicle that was similar to what he was chasing,” Consul General Elmer Cato said in a tweet.
He added that the Consulate has a direct line to the investigators and emphasized to them the importance of solving the case.
On CNN Philippines’ The Final Word, Cato said it is too early in the investigation to say the incident is related to Asian hate crime.
“They’re looking for surveillance videos that could help them identify and track down the suspect,” he said.
The consul general added that initial reports show that the shooting was random.
“They couldn’t have been targeted,” he said. “We don’t know if the driver of the vehicle was the target. But we hope that in the next few days, we will be able to have a clearer picture.”
Cato said they have received instructions from Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. to extend all possible assistance to bring Laylo back home.
“We will work with a local funeral director to allow us to facilitate the repatriation of the remains,” he said.
Meanwhile, the consul general also admitted that there has been a rise in gun violence in major cities in the United States, including New York and Philadelphia.
They have been advising the Filipino community, he added, “to be extra careful and take the necessary precautions” when outside of their residences.
“Based on information I gathered from members of the Filipino community there, it seems that shootings are regular occurrences in Philadelphia in the past few months,” he disclosed.
The fatal shooting of Filipino lawyer John Albert Laylo could be a case of mistaken identity, according to police sources who say gunman appear to have fired at the wrong vehicle that was similar to what he was chasing. @teddyboylocsin @PHinNewYork @susanople @slyarriola @DFAPHL
— Elmer G Cato (@elmer_cato) June 20, 2022
