A teenager was gunned down close to the set of Colin Farrell's latest movie Dead Man Down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Monday.

Robert Sneed, 18, was hit in the back and side in the city's Frankford area, where Farrell's new thriller was set to be filmed just hours later.

He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

Production assistant Scott Faust told local TV news station CBS Philly, "One of the officers was like, 'Your movie's called Dead Man Down, isn't it?' And I was like, 'yeah.' And he was like, 'oh ...'"

Fellow production staffer Sean Galczyk adds, "I'd say it's definitely really ironic to be a part of this (fictional film), and then to see it (in real life). It's weird."

Three suspects have been taken into custody and a gun was recovered. No charges have been filed as WENN goes to press.