In what police believe was a targeted attack, 29-year-old Imani Naim, a mother of four from Delaware, was shot and killed in West Philadelphia on the night of Friday, April 18, 2025. The shooting occurred just before 11:30 p.m. on the 5700 block of Ludlow Street. Naim was driving her 8-year-old nephew to a birthday party when a barrage of gunfire struck her red Hyundai Elantra.
Responding officers found Naim on the street next to the open driver's side door, having sustained gunshot
wounds to her head and chest. She was rushed to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead shortly after her arrival. Investigators discovered at least 11 bullet holes in the front windshield of her vehicle, indicating the shots were fired from close range.
A suspect, described as wearing all black and a mask, reportedly approached the car from the front and opened fire into the driver's compartment. Miraculously, Naim's 8-year-old nephew, who was in the back seat, was physically unharmed. Family members reported that the boy was traumatized by the event, having heard the shots and ducked to the ground.
Naim's family, including her aunt and mother, described her as a good person who was devoted to her children, the youngest of whom was only five months old at the time of her death. They expressed their profound grief and disbelief, stating that the violent nature of her death was an act of hate.
As of now, no arrests have been made in the case, and police have not publicly identified a suspect. A $20,000 reward is being offered for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Imani Naim's murder. Family and friends gathered for a balloon release to honor her memory on Newkirk Street, the neighborhood where she grew up.
