On a mild spring afternoon in West Philadelphia, the kind of day that draws people out of their homes, 17-year-old Zakee Watkins was enjoying the weather in a park on the 6300 block of Arch Street. It was Wednesday, March 23, 2016, and the late afternoon sun warmed the neighborhood. A little after 5:00 p.m., the tranquility was shattered by the sound of gunfire.
An eyewitness reported seeing a young, thin Black male, estimated to be around 18 years old and about 5-foot-6, open fire on Watkins in Cobbs Creek Park. As the shots rang out, a young woman walking nearby heard Zakee yell the single word, 'Run!'. Philadelphia Police officers were dispatched to the scene at 5:08 p.m., where they discovered Watkins lying in a creek within the park, having been shot in the back. He was rushed to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in a critical condition.
Despite the efforts of medical staff, Zakee Watkins, a resident of the 6400 block of Callowhill Street, passed away from his injuries on Sunday, March 27, 2016. The 17-year-old Black male's death was ruled a homicide. The shooter fled the scene and, to date, the murder of Zakee Watkins remains unsolved. The Philadelphia Police Department continues to seek information from the public that might lead to an arrest in the case.
