A masked man walked up to a 57-year-old stranger on a West Philadelphia sidewalk, fired a single shot into his leg, and ran off — and now Philadelphia police are asking the public to help identify him using newly released surveillance footage. The shooting happened on the 5200 block of Sansom Street on September 22, and investigators are still searching for the gunman nearly a month later.
Police released the surveillance video early Thursday, according to NBC10 Philadelphia, showing a man walking along the sidewalk before firing one shot from a handgun and running from the scene. The attack took place in the city's 18th District, and the victim suffered a single gunshot wound to his leg, according to cedarnews.net.
What the Suspect Was Wearing
Investigators described the suspect as a Black man with a stocky build, according to the same outlet. He was dressed in a light gray quarter-zip jacket, dark green cargo pants, and dark blue or black-and-gray sneakers, topped off with a tan-and-brown snapback cap featuring a brown oval logo, per the report.
The suspect also concealed his face with a black balaclava and was seen carrying a black backpack marked with a white HUSKY logo, the outlet reported. Police have not said whether the suspect has been identified or located since the footage was released.
How to Submit a Tip
Police urged anyone who spots the suspect not to approach him and to call 911 immediately, per cedarnews.net's account of the appeal, which was issued Thursday. Philadelphia police are asking anyone with information to contact the Shooting Investigations Group at 215-686-8270 or 215-686-8271, or to submit a confidential tip through the department's tip line at 215-686-TIPS (8477).
The shooting adds to a year in which the city has otherwise reported progress on gun violence. A February report from The Trace found Philadelphia saw 24.5 percent fewer shootings compared with 2024, along with 13.1 percent fewer shooting victims citywide. The Philadelphia city controller's office separately maintains an interactive map tracking shooting victims across the city, which it says is updated daily, according to controller.phila.gov.
No arrest has been announced in the Sansom Street case, and police have not disclosed a motive or said whether the victim knew the man who shot him. For now, investigators are relying on the public to help put a name to the face hidden behind that balaclava.
