In the early fall of 2009, a burst of violence shattered a South Philadelphia evening, leaving a young life extinguished. On Wednesday, September 23rd, 18-year-old Qwentay Barton was found shot on the 2400 block of Morris Street. The call came in at 9:08 p.m., and when authorities arrived, they discovered Barton had been struck in the back and chest.
Despite the efforts of first responders, he was pronounced dead at the scene less than half an hour later.
Qwentay Barton, who resided on the 1500 block of South Taylor Street, became one of several homicide victims in a particularly violent week in the city. His death was part of a grim tally of six homicides in just over two days. The shooting was one of two fatal incidents that occurred within a single hour that night, contributing to a sense of unease in the community.
In the immediate aftermath, police began their investigation into the shooting of the young man. However, information was scarce, and in the days following the incident, no arrests were made. The police publicly appealed for information, urging anyone with knowledge of the crime to come forward and contact detectives. As of the initial reports, the authorities had not identified any suspects or a motive in the killing of Qwentay Barton, leaving a community to mourn and a family to grapple with a sudden and tragic loss. The case was part of a wave of violence that highlighted the ongoing challenges facing the city.
