On January 10, 2023, at about 9:16 p.m., 23-year-old San Diego resident Najee Hakeem Woods was fatally shot while walking along the north sidewalk of the 6200 block of Akins Avenue in the Encanto neighborhood. Officers found Woods with a gunshot wound to his upper body; he was pronounced dead at the scene at 9:33 p.m.

Investigators say a dark gray, newer-model small SUV—possibly a Honda—approached as Woods walked and an occupant fired before fleeing northbound on 62nd Street. As of March 8, 2023, no suspects had been publicly identified. A reward of up to $1,000 has been offered for information leading to an arrest.

Woods was remembered as a beloved member of the City of Praise Church who played drums and bass, and as someone who loved music and his family and friends. Anyone with information is asked to contact the San Diego Police Department’s Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. Would anyone in the Encanto area remember seeing a dark gray small SUV near Akins Avenue that night?