On September 14, 2020, at approximately 5:57 p.m., Chester Housing Authority Officers and Chester City Police Officers heard gunfire in the area of the Ruth Bennett Homes. Upon arrival, they discovered a head-on collision in the 1800 block of West 9th Street. Inside one of the vehicles, a 2008 dark blue Chevrolet Impala, they found 26-year-old Timothy David Hamler Jr., an African American male from Chester, Pennsylvania, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Paramedics from Crozer-Chester Medical Center treated him at the scene before transporting him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead later that evening.
Investigations revealed that Timothy Hamler was driving west on Ninth Street near Edwards Street when he was fired upon. The attack caused him to cross over the concrete median into the eastbound lanes, resulting in a head-on collision with another vehicle. Authorities identified multiple crime scenes, including areas around John Street and Carla’s Lane, as well as Ninth and Carla’s Lane extending to Ninth and Yarnell streets.
Surveillance footage from the vicinity of West Carla's Lane and John Street showed a gray Dodge Durango with a temporary Delaware tag. Five male suspects exited the vehicle, walked around the corner, and, after passing a bystander, began firing handguns down the street, striking Timothy Hamler in his vehicle. The suspects then fled the scene, running past the same bystander, and re-entered the Durango before driving away.
Authorities believe that the five males in the Dodge Durango mistook Timothy Hamler for another individual involved in an ongoing dispute with the group. As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with the murder of Timothy Hamler. The investigation remains active, and law enforcement agencies continue to seek information from the public to identify and apprehend the suspects involved.
