On the evening of April 14, 2021, a burst of gunfire shattered the peace in a Southwest Philadelphia neighborhood, leaving a young father dead and his six-year-old son fighting for his life. Joshua Butts, a 28-year-old Black male, was sitting in his parked white Ford Taurus with his son and a 29-year-old friend. The three were parked next to Harrington Elementary School on the 800 block of South 53rd Street shortly before 7:20 p.m., reportedly on their way to a schoolyard to play basketball.
Without warning, one or more individuals approached the vehicle and opened fire, unleashing a hail of at least 12 bullets into the car. The shots tore through the windshield, hood, and driver's side door. In the chaos, Joshua Butts was struck in the chest. Despite his fatal injuries, he instinctively tried to drive away to safety but only made it a short distance before crashing into parked cars at 55th Street and Angora Terrace. His son was hit in the stomach and lower back, and the other man was shot in the chest.
Police officers on patrol were close by and were on the scene almost immediately. The 29-year-old passenger, though injured, managed to stumble out of the car and get to a police cruiser for help. Officers found Joshua Butts and his young son in the wrecked vehicle. They rushed Butts to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, but he succumbed to his wounds about two hours later. His son was taken to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in critical condition, where he underwent surgery.
In the aftermath of the shooting, police determined that the Ford Taurus had been specifically targeted, though a clear motive for the attack remained elusive. Investigators did not rule out the possibility of mistaken identity, as neither Butts nor the other adult victim was known to police. Authorities reported that the shooter or shooters may have fled the scene in a white sedan with tinted windows. As of early 2026, there have been no arrests announced in the case, and the investigation into the murder of Joshua Butts continues.
