Woman shot and killed in car in West Philadelphia; bullets narrowly missed child, police say
A 29-year-old woman died after being shot multiple times in her car in West Philadelphia late Friday night, and bullets narrowly missed an 8-year-old boy in the back seat, police said.
Officers initially responded to a shooting on the 5700 block of Ludlow Street just before 11:30 p.m. on April 18. "I heard 10 shots, I called 911," a neighbor said. "It's tragic and it shouldn't happen, and she was young and obviously to have her little baby in the back is really tragic."
On Monday, police identified the woman as Imani Naim, of Delaware. When officers arrived at the scene Friday, they found Naim on the street next to the open driver's side door of a red Hyundai Elantra, suffering from gunshot wounds to the head and chest. Medics transported her to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector D F Pace said investigators counted at least 11 bullet holes on the front windshield of the vehicle.
Speaking about the suspected shooter, Pace said they were dressed in all black and wearing a mask before they approached the car from the front and fired into the driver compartment "at very close range."
The 8-year-old who was in the back seat was unharmed and taken by police to a safe location where he was reunited with family, Pace said. Police did not specify his relation to the woman who was shot.
"It don't matter how many times it happened, it's always traumatic, like it's not something you can get used to," said Omar Muse, the director of Eddie's House Community Crisis Intervention.
On Saturday, Muse tried to contact the victim's family, and he spoke with neighbors to offer support following the violence.
"Whenever we get in contact with the family, we are going to continue to show up for as long as we have to to help them with the healing process," Muse said.
A $20,000 reward is being offered that can help lead to an arrest.
The motive for this shooting remains unclear. Investigators will be checking the area for surveillance video for more information.
