On a December evening in Willingboro, New Jersey, 16-year-old Ibn Perry was on the front porch of his Plumtree Lane home with two other teenagers when tragedy struck. It was around 8 p.m. on December 12, 2016, when a van reportedly pulled up, and two unidentified individuals emerged and began shooting at the group. The sudden burst of gunfire left the young male, Ibn Perry, fatally wounded.
He was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound to the head.
Another 16-year-old with Perry was struck in the ankle and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, while the third teen escaped injury. The assailants fled, and no weapons were recovered at the scene. In the aftermath, friends and family were left reeling, struggling to understand why someone would target the Willingboro High School junior. He was described as a popular and well-liked student who loved baseball and was deeply devoted to his mother. Friends emphasized that he was not involved in drama or any illicit activities, making his violent death all the more perplexing.
The investigation into the shooting was launched by the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office and the Willingboro Township Police Department. Despite their efforts and a reward of $5,000 being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction, the case remains unsolved. The community mourned the loss of the aspiring baseball player at a candlelight vigil, where calls were made to end the violence that had claimed a promising young life. The suspects in the shooting of Ibn Perry remain at large, and the motive behind the attack is still unknown.
