PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Police are investigating after they say a man was shot and killed while walking his dog Thursday night in Philadelphia’s Overbrook neighborhood.

The deadly shooting happened at about 8:30 p.m. on the 6400 block of Woodcrest Avenue.

Police say they found 51-year-old James Patrick Stuhlman unconscious in the street after responding to reports of shots being fired. He was taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the chest and was pronounced dead a short time later.

“An unknown individual came up to him, shot him one time and we believe fled on foot from that location,” said Philadelphia Police Captain James Clark.

Police say this is an unusual spot for something like this to happen and add Stuhlman would walk his dog in the same area every night, usually with his daughter, but he was alone Thursday.

“Fortunately the daughter wasn’t with him tonight,” says Lt. John Walker. “This is a tragic incident.”

Stuhlman was found with a flashlight in one hand and the dogs leash in the other. The dog remained by the victim’s side.

“Laying next to him was his dog … he’s not injured,” Walker says. “Just seemed to be very scared, shaken.”

A neighbor calls Stuhlman friendly and warm — a man who would volunteer to clean the local park or shovel snow.

Which is why she says it makes so little sense that he’s gone.

“I don’t know. Everybody’s really, really upset about this. This just doesn’t happen here,” she said.

Captain Clark says detectives aren’t ruling out anything — but motive may not be simple.

“He still had his wallet on him, he still had cash on him. So right now, it does not appear to be a robbery,” said Captain Clark.

The search for the gunman continues as police ask any witnesses to step forward. Anyone with information can call police at 215-686-TIPS.

CBS 3 Eyewitness News Reporter Steve Patterson contributed to this report.