On the evening of March 27, 2024, 16-year-old Semaj Fields was shot and killed on the first block of Wister Street near Germantown Avenue in the East Germantown section of Philadelphia. Semaj, a ninth-grade student at Ben Franklin High School, was struck in the back during an argument that escalated between two groups of young people. A 17-year-old companion was also shot and taken to Jefferson Einstein Hospital in stable condition; Semaj was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Police recovered seven spent shell casings, believed to be from two different firearms, and say two individuals opened fire. Officers released surveillance stills and described one suspect wearing a navy blue jacket, a gray hooded sweatshirt, and black jeans, and the other wearing a blue puffy jacket, a black hooded sweatshirt and a medical boot on his right foot. A 55-year-old driver nearby was grazed by a bullet through his car window and shirt sleeve but was not injured. No arrests have been announced; anyone with information is asked to contact investigators.