On the early morning of June 7, 2014, 23-year-old Troy Smith Jr. and his uncle, Attif Smith, were stopped at 54th and Hunter Streets in West Philadelphia when an armed individual approached their car in what police believe was an attempted robbery. Police arrived at 1:06 a.m. and found Troy with multiple gunshot wounds; medics pronounced him dead. Troy was a week shy of his 24th birthday and had recently passed the qualifying exam to become a corrections officer. Family described him as outgoing, bubbly, and devoted to those close to him.

Attif Smith was in the passenger seat of their silver Dodge Avenger and was also shot. He was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he survived but was left paralyzed from the neck down and later died of complications in March 2016. No arrests have been announced and no suspects have been publicly identified; the Philadelphia Police Department is investigating and a reward has been offered for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.

If anyone has information about who approached the car that night or anything seen near 54th and Hunter Streets on June 7, 2014, please come forward.