Don Ly, a campus food truck operator, was stabbed and killed while on his way to work this morning.
Ly had just finished loading his food truck at approximately 5 a.m. outside his home on the 400 block of Vollmer Street in South Philadelphia when an unknown suspect came up behind him and stabbed him repeatedly.
Ly, who was 68, operated a fruit salad cart that currently sits at 34th and Walnut streets with his family for the past ten years. He was about to drive to work when he was killed.
In a press conference, Cpt. James Clark of the Philadelphia Police Department said there is currently no suspect in the case.
Clark described the stabbing as “senseless” and said Ly was stabbed in the abdomen, throat, chest and arms. He also said police believed the suspect stabbed Ly enough to knock him to the ground, and then stabbed him several more times.
“He didn’t have the chance to fight [his killer] off,” Clark said.
The case does not appear to be a robbery, according to Clark. Ly was found with his money, wallet and jewelry all still on his person.
After being stabbed, he was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was pronounced dead.
Ly’s son, Hoanh Ly, told The Philadelphia Inquirer, “I just don’t know what to think. It’s senseless to do this kind of thing. He’s never bothered anybody.”
ABC Philadelphia reported that Ly immigrated to the United States from Vietnam in 1990. He opened a cart selling fruit on Penn’s campus about 10 years ago.
Police are currently trying to find any surveillance footage which may have captured the killing or the suspect fleeing the scene.
Anyone with information is advised to call the Philadelphia Police Department Homicide Unit at (215) 686-3334 or send a text to the tip line at 773847.
Ly’s family has created a memorial fund, titled the Don Ly Fund. Contributions can be sent to his son, Hoanh Ly, at 428 Vollmer Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19148.
Anyone wishing to contribute additional comments should contact author Harrison Fallon at hfallon@sas.upenn.edu.
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