In the quiet streets of New Castle, Pennsylvania, a fatal shooting shattered the evening calm. On Sunday, April 21, 2024, 39-year-old Omar Javarty Hakim was discovered deceased inside his parked green Chevrolet Tahoe near the intersection of East Moody Avenue and Carlisle Street. He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Responding to reports of gunshots around 7:30 p.m., New Castle police found Hakim in the driver's seat of the vehicle, which had six bullet holes in the driver's side window. Investigators also noted that a rear passenger window was shattered, believed to be from a shot fired from inside the SUV.
The investigation into Hakim's death quickly pointed to a deliberate and personal attack, with law enforcement stating the shooting was not a random act. Witnesses described seeing a man in a red puffy jacket and a black hoodie exit a gray Nissan SUV, approach Hakim's vehicle, and fire multiple shots before fleeing the scene. This led to the arrest of Hakim's girlfriend, Angelina Masi. Authorities allege that Masi drove the suspected shooter to the location just minutes before the homicide. She was taken into custody and charged with criminal conspiracy to commit homicide.
Further investigation and information provided by Masi led police to identify the suspected shooter as 32-year-old Andrew Howard of Youngstown, Ohio. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and he was considered armed and dangerous. In early July 2024, Howard was apprehended in Mahoning County, Ohio. He has been charged with criminal homicide in connection with the death of Omar Hakim.
