In the early morning hours of November 10, 2020, the life of 38-year-old Sadiq Abdul-Shakur Haqq-Barksdale, a Black male, was tragically cut short in the Lawndale section of Northeast Philadelphia. Just after 4 a.m., the quiet of the neighborhood was broken by the sound of multiple gunshots, followed by the jarring sound of a vehicle collision. Residents who peered outside discovered a silver Mazda that had crashed into a tree.
Inside the vehicle, first responders found Sadiq
Abdul-Shakur Haqq-Barksdale, not suffering from injuries sustained in the crash, but from a fatal gunshot wound to his chest. He was pronounced deceased at the scene by medical personnel. The investigation that followed determined that the shooting had not occurred at the crash site, but rather about a mile away on Oxford Avenue, near Summerdale. It is believed that after being shot, Haqq-Barksdale continued to drive until he ultimately succumbed to his injury and lost control of his minivan.
Despite the efforts of the Philadelphia Police Department, no arrests have been made in connection with the homicide of Sadiq Abdul-Shakur Haqq-Barksdale. The case remains an open and unsolved investigation, leaving a family and community searching for answers and yearning for justice. Authorities have canvassed the neighborhood for witnesses and examined the crash scene for evidence, but have yet to publicly identify any suspects or a motive for the shooting. The investigation remains ongoing, with law enforcement continuing to appeal to the public for any information that might lead to a breakthrough in the case.
