Isaiah Batties, 31, a Black male, was killed after gunfire erupted late on September 27, 2016, outside his home on the 6000 block of Vandike Street in Philadelphia's Wissinoming neighborhood. Police said officers were called to the block at about 11:53 p.m. and found him inside his residence suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators later indicated that he had been shot in the street outside the house before making it back inside.
The shooting unfolded around midnight after
Isaiah had stepped outside of the home, reportedly to smoke a cigarette. At least ten shots were fired on the block, and he was struck in the chest, stomach, and legs. He tried to crawl back into the house after being hit. When police and medical personnel arrived, he was rushed to Temple University Hospital, where he died the following morning, September 28, 2016.
Investigators found spent shell casings on the sidewalk where he had fallen and another casing on the front porch, suggesting the gunfire followed him toward the home. Police believed he was the intended target, but the public reports did not identify a motive. Authorities also said they were checking surveillance cameras in the area as part of the investigation.
Outside the facts of the shooting, Isaiah was remembered by family as someone who carried himself with warmth despite years of serious illness. He had been diagnosed with sickle cell anemia at a young age and needed frequent hospital treatments throughout his life, but relatives said he rarely complained. His sister described him as positive, funny, and helpful, the kind of person who made others feel good and tried to support family and friends.
He was the youngest of six children and lived with one of his sisters, helping her care for her children. He spent time with his nephews, played video games with them, helped with homework, entertained them with jokes, and worked on computers. Family members also remembered him as a talented artist and a steady presence among friends from his old neighborhood, someone who tried to be a good role model even in difficult surroundings.
No suspect was publicly named in the available reports, and no arrest, charges, trial, or conviction were reported in the sources reviewed. The Philadelphia Police Department lists the case as unsolved and has asked anyone with information to contact investigators or submit an anonymous tip. A reward of up to $20,000 has been offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in his murder.
