In the cold of a January night in Pittsburgh's Garfield neighborhood, the life of 18-year-old Ahmad Foreman, a Black male, was tragically cut short. On the evening of January 15, 2017, the sharp report of multiple gunshots echoed through the 500 block of Fannel Street, prompting a police response guided by the city's ShotSpotter system. Arriving at the scene around 10 p.m., officers discovered Foreman's body lying near a fence line.
He had sustained several gunshot wounds to his head, body, and extremities and was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's office would later rule his death a homicide.
In the days following the shooting, a picture emerged of a young man who was a cherished family member. His mother, Jessica Kelly, revealed the heartbreaking detail that she had seen her son just hours before his death. They worked together at Lydia's restaurant, where he was a dishwasher. Her last words to him were 'I loved him.' She described him as someone who brought laughter into their home and was deeply loved. As she and her family grappled with their immense loss, they were left with no understanding of why he had been targeted.
The investigation into Ahmad Foreman's murder was launched immediately by the Pittsburgh Police violent crime unit, but the case quickly grew cold. Investigators searched the area for evidence and appealed to the public for any information that could lead to an arrest. Foreman's mother made a heartfelt plea to his friends and the community, urging anyone who knew anything to come forward, even anonymously. Despite these efforts, authorities have not publicly identified any suspects or made any arrests in connection with the fatal shooting. The case remains an open and unsolved homicide, one of the many that continue to leave a lasting impact on families and communities within the city.
