Kevin Garner

Kevin Garner was an Army veteran and a gardener, a man described by those who knew him as a loving sweetheart who was kind to everyone he met. A neighbor fondly remembered sharing drinks, laughs, and barbecues with him, saying he never did anything to anybody. The 54-year-old Black man lived with his wife on North 8th Street in Philadelphia and had a daughter. His sister-in-law, Jacquline, called him a sweetheart.

Shortly after midnight on September 28, 2011, Garner walked a few blocks from his home to use an ATM outside the Diamond Deli at the corner of North 9th and Diamond Streets. He was in the process of withdrawing $200 when a man reportedly pulled up in a car, got out, and confronted him with a gun. Police believe there was a struggle between the two men before the assailant opened fire. A police lieutenant would later describe the attack as savage.

Garner was shot three times, struck in his back, neck, and chest. The gunman grabbed the $200 in cash and fled in the car. Neighbors heard the gunshots and the sound of a car screeching away from the scene. When officers from the 26th District arrived, they found Garner lying in the street. He was rushed to Temple University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at approximately 12:30 a.m.

Investigators recovered surveillance video from a local business that captured the entire incident. Based on the evidence, police described the suspect as a well-dressed, light-skinned man, about 5-feet 10-inches tall. As of September 2011, no arrests had been made, and the case remains unsolved. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Philadelphia Police Department at 215.686.TIPS (8477).