Brandon Badger, a 54-year-old Black/African American man from Phoenix, Arizona, was fatally shot in the early morning hours of July 5, 2022. In the pre-dawn darkness, around 3:00–3:15 a.m., police received reports of gunfire in the area of 4200 East McDowell Road in central Phoenix. Responding officers arrived to find Badger suffering from multiple gunshot wounds at or near a residence close to 42nd Street and McDowell Road.
He was given emergency care at the scene and rushed to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
Official homicide notices describe how the call initially came in as a report of a man who had been shot, with officers quickly identifying the victim as Brandon Badger once they reached the scene. The shooting location is consistently described as a residential area along East McDowell Road, suggesting the attack happened either inside or immediately outside a home rather than in a busy commercial district. Multiple news outlets reported that he had sustained several gunshot wounds, underscoring the violence of the encounter, and all note that despite medical efforts after his transport to the hospital, he did not survive.
Following the killing, the Phoenix Police Department’s homicide detectives opened an investigation and issued public appeals for information. Tip-line flyers and media advisories emphasized that investigators were still working to understand what led up to the shooting and who was responsible. Community-focused crime-tracking sites summarizing the case likewise describe it as an open homicide investigation, highlighting that the incident occurred in the early morning at a residence and that police were actively seeking leads rather than announcing any clear motive or narrative about what preceded the gunfire.
Information released through an anonymous-tip reward program provides the clearest public description of a suspect: it states that Badger was shot and killed by an unknown male in the area of 4200 East McDowell Road and offers a cash reward for information leading to the arrest or indictment of the person or persons responsible. The suspect is not identified by name or detailed description beyond being an unidentified man, indicating that investigators either did not have, or were not ready to share, more specific characteristics. No announcements from law enforcement or subsequent case summaries indicate that anyone has been arrested or formally charged in connection with Badger’s death, and the case continues to be listed among unresolved homicides.
Online memorials and case pages devoted to gun-violence victims add a human dimension to the sparse official details. These sources record his full name, city, date of death, and circumstances of being killed by gunfire in Phoenix, and they invite friends and family to share memories. Comments there describe him in warm, personal terms and refer to talents and a sense of humor, suggesting the loss felt by those who knew him goes far beyond the few lines in police and media reports. Together, the public records and memorial postings portray a man whose life ended violently and abruptly in a still-unsolved shooting, with authorities and community members continuing to seek answers and accountability for his killing.
