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Two men die in city as a result of shootings

A 27-year-old man walking in the rain with a woman on a street in Bella Vista was shot and killed early yesterday during an apparent stickup, police said.

A 27-year-old man walking in the rain with a woman on a street in Bella Vista was shot and killed early yesterday during an apparent stickup, police said.

Vandol Rhett, 27, of Bustleton, was one of two men slain in the city yesterday as the homicide toll for the year rose to 167.

Police said Rhett and his companion were walking on the 700 block of South Sixth Street in Bella Vista when he was shot in the chest about 2:25 a.m. He was pronounced dead at 2:42 a.m. at Jefferson University Hospital.

A witness who heard a commotion told police he looked out a window and and saw a man shoot the victim and then jump into the open passenger side of a car stopped in the middle of the street.

The car then sped off, said the witness, who called 911 immediately.

Neighborhood residents, many of whom did not hear the shooting or learn of it until later, said they had heard the victim worked on nearby South Street, but that could not be confirmed.

The block is lined with a mix of townhouses, some new, some restored and some in need of work, in what is considered and up-and-coming neighborhood.

Nearly two hours later, another man was shot in the head and chest on the 2300 block of North 17th Street in North Philadelphia.

The man, who was not identified yesterday, was taken to Temple University Hospital, where he died at 4:52 a.m., said police, who were seeking a motive.

A City's Deadly Toll

Homicides reported by city police through 11:59 p.m. Thursday:

165

Total for the same period in 2006: 150

For a map showing homicides in Philadelphia for 2006, along with articles about urban violence, visit http://go.philly.com/violenceEndText