In the summer of 2018, the life of 17-year-old Quasier Burley was tragically cut short in a shooting that stemmed from a dispute over a basketball game. On the evening of August 1st, Burley, a young male, was with a friend near the Cambria Recreation Center in North Philadelphia when gunfire erupted. He was struck in the chest and arm. Despite his injuries, Burley managed to run into the recreation center, where he collapsed.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital but ultimately succumbed to his wounds. His friend was also shot in the arm but survived.
The Philadelphia Police Department quickly launched an investigation into the homicide. Detectives believed the shooting was the culmination of an argument that had occurred earlier in the day during a basketball game. In the immediate aftermath, investigators released surveillance footage that captured three individuals they identified as suspects. The first was described as a Black male in his late teens or early twenties with a medium complexion, a mustache, and a goatee, wearing a white t-shirt, blue shorts, and black sneakers. The second suspect was also described as a Black male in his late teens or early twenties with a medium complexion and a goatee, wearing a black t-shirt, dark-colored shorts, and black sneakers with pink soles. The third suspect was described as a Black male in his late teens or early twenties with a heavy build and a dark complexion, wearing glasses, a blue t-shirt with a design on the front, and black shorts.
The surveillance video also showed one of the suspects retrieving a gun from the crime scene after the shooting before all three fled the area. A $20,000 reward was offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.
In the years that have followed the death of Quasier Burley, there have been no public announcements regarding any arrests made in connection with his murder. The case remains unsolved, and the identities of the three suspects seen in the surveillance footage have not been publicly released. The investigation into the shooting is presumably still open, leaving a case without closure for the family and community of the young man whose life was taken over a neighborhood basketball game.
