Christopher Burkett, a 26-year-old Black man from Harrisburg, was shot on the afternoon of January 9, 2017, outside Harrisburg Fried Chicken near 14th and Market streets. Police found him slumped over in a van with a gunshot wound to the head; another account said he had multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to Penn State Hershey Medical Center. He was initially reported in critical condition and was later pronounced dead on January 10, 2017.

The shooting occurred in a busy commercial area; the restaurant owner reportedly heard the gunfire and encountered a chaotic scene. Burkett’s mother and girlfriend were present as police and emergency responders worked. Investigators said a suspect was captured on the restaurant’s security footage and described the person as a short Black man of average build. Dauphin County Crime Stoppers offered a reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to an arrest.

Police continued to investigate for years. On August 26, 2020, authorities charged Christian Zimmerman, then 37, in connection with Burkett’s killing; a later public booking record shows Christian D. Zimmerman was booked in Dauphin County on September 5, 2024, on a reported criminal homicide charge. The records do not show a conviction, trial verdict, or sentence. Does anyone have information about Burkett, his movements that day, or the area around 14th and Market in January 2017?