On the evening of August 20, 2020, a senseless act of violence cut short the life of 29-year-old Will Myatt, a Black male, in Philadelphia. Myatt was leaving a dog park on the 700 block of North 46th Street in West Philadelphia with his two young children, aged 3 and 9, and their dog when the tragedy unfolded. Around 8:16 p.m., as they were making their way out of the park, a man wearing a black mask approached them and opened fire.
Myatt was struck by multiple gunshots to his torso in
front of his children. Philadelphia Police officers responded to reports of the shooting and found him on the ground. He was rushed to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 8:30 p.m. Miraculously, his two children and their dog were physically unharmed in the attack.
The gunman, described only as a 'short' man, was last seen fleeing south on 46th Street after the shooting. Despite the shocking nature of the crime and the presence of his young children as witnesses, the suspect managed to escape. Police did not recover the weapon at the scene and launched an investigation into the slaying.
In the years following the tragic event, the case has remained unsolved, and no arrests have been made. Philadelphia Police have continued to investigate, appealing to the public for any information that might lead to the apprehension of the person responsible for Will Myatt's death. The shooting was one of several homicides that contributed to a significant increase in gun violence in Philadelphia in 2020, leaving a community in mourning and a family grappling with a devastating loss.
