A 25-year-old Philadelphia man was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Bakers Centre shopping center in Nicetown on Sept. 11, 2026, just before he was due to clock in for a security shift. Camille Joseph suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Temple University Hospital. More than a week later, police have not identified a suspect or a motive, and his family says they are still searching for answers.
According to NBC10 Philadelphia, the shooting happened just before 5:30 p.m. on the 2800 block of Fox Street, with police first called to the scene around 5:20 p.m. A witness working as a Pennsylvania State Constable providing security at the shopping center told investigators he saw people struggling inside a black-colored SUV. When the constable tried to intervene, the station reports, the SUV drove off.
Investigators later found a black Honda SUV abandoned nearby in a cemetery on the 3200 block of West Clearfield Street. The station's report notes that the vehicle's ignition was broken, one window was shattered, and there was a significant amount of blood inside. Police confirmed that Joseph was the registered owner of that SUV.
A Struggle, a Crash, and a Fleeing Vehicle
Per sources close to the investigation cited by Inquirer.com, Joseph's SUV was driven into the Fox Street shopping-center parking lot, and another SUV crashed into a wall at the same location. The damaged vehicle then fled the scene after the shooting. Investigators believe Joseph and the driver of that other SUV got into an altercation, and that he was shot and killed following that confrontation, though that driver has not been identified by police.
Philadelphia police officers transported the wounded man from the Bakers Centre shopping center in Nicetown to a nearby hospital instead of using an ambulance after the shooting, per the NBC10 account. Investigators are now seeking search warrants for shopping-center security footage in hopes of identifying a suspect.
From Haiti to Philadelphia, With Dreams of Owning a Shop
Joseph's family left Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, according to the Inquirer.com report, eventually settling in Philadelphia. He attended Benjamin Rush High School, where he played tuba in the school band and competed in soccer and baseball. After high school, he went to trade school and became a mechanic, later working at auto shops around the city while also picking up work as a security guard at Time, a whiskey bar and restaurant on Sansom Street.
He was supposed to clock in at Time at 6 p.m. on the evening he was killed. Joseph reportedly dreamed of one day owning his own mechanic shop and wanted to travel, according to the same reporting.
Family Says the Killing “Does Not Make Sense”
Joseph's sister, Ophtanie Joseph, has been vocal in the days since his death. She said the killing does not make sense and that her brother did not deserve his death, per the Inquirer.com account. She has urged anyone with information about the shooting to come forward to investigators.
A GoFundMe set up for Joseph's funeral expenses and memorial has raised more than $20,000. His loved ones are planning to gather at Time, the Sansom Street bar where he worked security, on Sept. 24 for a concert and benefit held in his memory.
Nicetown has seen violence tied to SUVs before. In May 2021, 6abc reported that two gunmen exited a black SUV and opened fire on another vehicle in the neighborhood, seriously injuring a teenager. As of now, police have not identified a suspect or a motive in Joseph's killing, and the investigation remains open.
