Nearly two and a half years after bullets ripped through a Strawberry Mansion rowhouse, one Philadelphia family says they are still waiting, and still wondering why no one has been held accountable. The Jan. 14, 2024 shooting left six people wounded and two dead, and relatives say the case remains wide open even as police renew their push for tips and dangle a reward for information that leads to an arrest.
What Investigators Say
According to police, the gunfire broke out just before 1 a.m. on Jan. 14, 2024, when someone opened fire through the front door and a window of a home on the 2400 block of North Myrtlewood Street. Six people inside were struck by the shots, and two of them later died from their injuries, as reported by The Associated Press.
Victims Identified
Authorities later named the two people killed in the attack as Edison Frazier and 41-year-old Christopher Smith. Police said the four surviving victims, whose ages ranged from their 20s to their 40s, were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment. Those details about the victims and the scene were reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Family's Plea And Reward
Smith’s longtime friend Shadeed Sharpe told reporters the killing left “a hole in our family now and forever,” describing the emotional fallout as something they will never fully recover from. Sharpe urged anyone who knows anything about the shooting to step up and speak out.
A $20,000 reward has been put on the table for information that leads to an arrest, and authorities have stressed that tips can be submitted anonymously, according to 6abc.
Scene And Investigation
Investigators have said the rowhouse was being used as an illegal speakeasy the night of the shooting. At least one shooter fired from the street into the building’s door and a window, sending rounds into the crowded interior, according to detectives.
So far, no arrests have been announced. The homicide unit is still working the case and following leads, per CBS Philadelphia.
Why This Matters Locally
The unsolved shooting hangs over the neighborhood as Philadelphia officials roll out new public-safety plans and a multi-year strategy aimed at driving down violent crime. Those efforts include initiatives launched after Mayor Cherelle L. Parker declared a public safety emergency upon taking office.
The mayor’s office and partner agencies say the strategy is designed to steer more resources toward communities hit hardest by gun violence, including parts of North Philadelphia, according to the Office of the Mayor.
How To Help
Police are again asking anyone with information about the Strawberry Mansion shooting to contact the Philadelphia Police Homicide Unit at 215-686-3334 or to leave an anonymous tip by calling 215-686-TIPS (8477).
Guidance on how to submit confidential tips and details about reward eligibility are available from the Philadelphia Police Department.
