Woman, 51, fatally shot outside West Philadelphia home

An early morning shooting outside a West Philadelphia home Thursday left a 51-year-old woman dead, according to police.

Police responded to a report of a shooting on the 1300 block of North 59th Street around 3 a.m. Officers found the woman, later identified as Robin McClendon, unresponsive on her front step with gunshot wounds to her head and body.

McClendon, who lived at the residence with her mother, was pronounced dead by medical personnel around 3:20 a.m.

The motive for the killing remains unknown and no suspect has been identified.

McClendon was a former Drexel University professor, Philadelphia Police Capt. Jack Ryan said at a news conference Thursday.

A spokesperson for the university could not immediately confirm McClendon's relationship with the school.

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"It appears the shooter was firing shots from very close proximity to the victim," Chief Inspector Scott Small told 6ABC. "So we believe at this time that this victim may be the intended target, due to the fact they were shot so close and the ballistic evidence is so close to where the victim collapsed."

The homicide unit is investigating. Anyone with information is being asked to call the police tip line at 215-686-8477 (-TIPS).

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