Raheem Jefferson of Philadelphia dies in fatal Kensington shooting
Fatal Kensington shooting death of Raheem Jefferson of Philadelphia – Obituary
Police have identified the man fatally shot outside a mosque in Philadelphia’s Kensington area on Tuesday as 43-year-old Raheem Jefferson.
Jefferson was shot around 5 p.m. on the 1500 block of Germantown Avenue.
According to police, Jefferson was walking through the parking lot toward a prayer service with another man when gunshots rang out.
“I counted nine very loud rapid thuds one after the other. It made me hang up, go outside, and see what’s going on,” recounted Ori Beckerman, a Kensington resident who witnessed the incident.
Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small stated, “You can clearly see our victim walking to this mosque for a prayer service. He was walking with another male. You see the shooter run up behind the victim, and from just a few feet away, begin firing shots.”
The mosque confirmed that Jefferson was known to pray there occasionally.
We spoke with individuals who were inside the mosque when the shots were fired.
“I heard shooting from inside the mosque, and I was going outside, and I went back to ask the management to call the cops,” said Ashraf Abdel Razek of Hatboro.
Philly police provided an update on the deadly shooting outside the mosque on July 30, 2024. Surveillance video shows Jefferson collapsing in the parking lot as the gunman stood over him and continued firing execution-style, according to police.
A total of 17 shots were fired in the incident, according to Small.
Jefferson suffered a gunshot wound to the head and multiple gunshot wounds to the torso. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Chopper 6 captured footage as officers cordoned off the parking lot near the Al-Aqsa Islamic Society along Germantown Avenue.
No arrests have been made and no weapons have been recovered.
Police reported no other injuries from the incident.
The suspect was last seen fleeing on foot before getting into a dark-colored sedan.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro responded to the tragedy on X, posting, “As an investigation into this killing proceeds, I’m praying for Philadelphia’s Al-Aqsa Islamic Society community, a place I’ve been several times, and hoping they find peace in each other and in their faith.”
Mosque leaders had no further comments on the shooting when Action News spoke with them.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 215-686-TIPS.
Fatal Kensington shooting death of Raheem Jefferson of Philadelphia – Obituary Police have identified the man fatally shot outside a mosque in Philadelphia’s Kensington area on Tuesday as 43-year-old Raheem Jefferson. Jefferson was shot around 5 p.m. on the 1500 block of Germantown Avenue. According to police, Jefferson was walking through the parking lot toward…
Fatal Kensington shooting death of Raheem Jefferson of Philadelphia – Obituary Police have identified the man fatally shot outside a mosque in Philadelphia’s Kensington area on Tuesday as 43-year-old Raheem Jefferson. Jefferson was shot around 5 p.m. on the 1500 block of Germantown Avenue. According to police, Jefferson was walking through the parking lot toward…