PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Philadelphia police say the shooting death of a Filipino government lawyer was a case of mistaken identity. John Albert Laylo was riding in an Uber with his mother early Saturday when he was shot and killed.
Investigators now say the shooter mistook the Uber Laylo was riding in for another dark-colored Nissan.
Police say surveillance video has cleared up some answers and a belief that the shooting was originally random or stemmed from a possible case of road rage.
Meanwhile, government officials in the Philippines are calling on Philadelphia police to figure out who shot and killed one of their lawyers in the city.
Laylo was wrapping up a few days of sightseeing on the East Coast. On the way to Philadelphia International, he was in an Uber early Saturday with his mother, headed to Chicago.
Laylo never made his flight.
The government lawyer, whose clients include the vice president of the Philippines and two senators, was shot in the head. He was pronounced dead on Sunday.
Diplomatic officials from the Philippines are now helping to expedite the return of the 35-year-old’s remains to his native country, as the homicide investigation remains unresolved.
“We do hope that authorities in Philadelphia will do everything they can to bring whoever’s responsible to justice,” Consulate General Elmer Cato said.
Cato stopped short of saying he expected Philippines officials to issue travel advisories based on the heinous and shocking crime. Though he indicated it was extraordinarily concerning.