On the night of May 31, 2026, 19-year-old Hyvear Zayzohn Tookes was fatally shot after gunfire erupted at a house party in the 1700 block of North 16th Street near Temple University. Police responded about 11:15 p.m. following a ShotSpotter alert and found more than two dozen shell casings at the scene, but the victim was not there when officers arrived.

Shortly afterward a rented U-Haul van arrived at Temple University Hospital carrying five teenagers, ages 16 to 19, and a gravely wounded Tookes. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. Investigators say the shooting appears to have been a firefight between two groups, with one group firing from the street and another, including Tookes, inside the van; shell casings were recovered inside the vehicle.

Four teenagers from the van were taken into custody at the hospital; as of early June 2026 no charges had been filed and their identities were not released. The Philadelphia Police Department has offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

Did anyone at the party or nearby see where the shooters came from or who was inside the van?