On a Saturday night in Savannah, Georgia, what began as a casual gathering of friends quickly turned into a tragedy that would claim the life of Hakeem Lamar Clark. The 26-year-old Black man from Hinesville was with three friends in the parking lot of a post office on West Bay and Fahm streets, discussing their plans for the evening of July 25, 2015. Shortly after 11:15 p.m., their conversation was interrupted by the approach of two men.
The two strangers, described as slender Black males with their faces obscured by hats or caps, brandished a weapon and demanded valuables from Clark and his friends. While the victims complied with the demands, the encounter escalated, and Clark was shot. He was rushed to Memorial University Medical Center, but the injuries he sustained proved to be fatal. He died on July 26, 2015. Those who knew him remembered his infectious smile and lively sense of humor. He was a hardworking man, holding jobs as a plant operator and a meat cutter.
For more than two years, the case remained under investigation. The Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police sought information from the public, even identifying two women who were in the area at the time as persons of interest, though not suspects. A break in the case came in January 2018 when investigators identified a suspect.
On January 5, 2018, police arrested 17-year-old Qwaizon Lee in connection with the murder. Lee was charged with murder, aggravated assault, and two counts of armed robbery. The investigation into the second suspect continued, but the arrest of Lee marked a significant development in bringing a measure of closure to the family and friends of Hakeem Lamar Clark.
