Police trying to identify shooting victim

For now, Reading's latest homicide victim is a "John Doe." 

According to the Berks County Coroner, a Hispanic man in his early 20s was shot multiple times in the head and torso early Saturday morning, in the alley near Woodward and Fourth streets.  Police said the victim lay dying for hours, since neighbors did not call 911 for more than six hours after hearing gunshots.

Colin Shirey heard the shots sometime after two in the morning

"All of a sudden you hear a bunch of shots go off," he said.  'It was -- felt like it was right in my backyard."

But police said, no one on this block bothered to call 911 until nine a.m. -- more than six hours after the shooting -- when a couple spotted a body riddled with bullets in this nearby alley.

Shirey admitted he did not call authorities.

"No, normally there's gunshots that go off a lot, like not right here but generally, a lot of people hear them so I really don't bother," he said.

Several neighbors said gunshots are so common here, they're not surprised no one called authorities.

"You hear anything, you don't want to come out because you can get shot yourself," said Woodward Street resident Juan Lopez.

Police said the victim had no identification on him. All they know is, he was a Latino man in his early 20s with black hair and brown eyes.  Detectives said the victim was wearing a black puffy jacket, jeans, white sneakers, and a t-shirt with some sort of writing on it.

An autopsy is scheduled for 9 a.m. Sunday.

"[Shootings are] starting to be normal around this area," said neighbor Robert McPhail.  "It's just unbelievable that it's so close."

This is the second homicide here recently.  In August, 20-year-old Tyrhee Strachon was shot to death on this same block.  Neighbors said, the area is getting more violent.

"The neighborhood needs to be cleaned up from the drugs and stuff like that," said McPhail.  "I mean, it goes hand in hand."

Lopex added:  "Reading in particular is getting worse and worse.  I mean, there are no jobs out there, and people getting desperate."

Police said they haven't located any missing persons' reports that match the victim's description, so they really need someone to come forward and help them out.