In the winter of 2018, the life of 20-year-old Kaleel Shakur Clarke was tragically cut short in Savannah, Georgia. On the afternoon of Saturday, February 24, 2018, Clarke was visiting the University Commons apartments on the campus of Savannah State University. An altercation occurred, and Clarke was shot multiple times. He was transported to a local hospital but ultimately succumbed to his injuries. At the time of the incident, neither Clarke nor the individual suspected of shooting him were enrolled as students at the university.
Following the shooting, the Savannah State University campus was placed on lockdown as law enforcement began their investigation. Less than a day later, authorities arrested a suspect, identified as 20-year-old Phillip Burke. Investigators utilized enhanced campus surveillance systems to place Burke at the scene of the shooting. Initial charges against Burke included carrying a weapon in a school safety zone and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
In the years that followed, Kaleel Clarke's family pursued legal action, filing a lawsuit in 2020 against Savannah State University Foundation Real Estate Ventures LLC, the owner of the University Commons apartments. The lawsuit alleged that the entity failed to provide adequate security and did not sufficiently warn residents and visitors of criminal activity in the area. The family's pursuit of justice has also included public statements expressing their belief that the investigation into Clarke's death was not handled properly and that the person responsible did not face appropriate consequences for his death.
