Steven Hackett, a 21-year-old Black man, was the only child of his mother, Cynthia Hackett. The two were very close. "We talked about everything, we did everything," she later recalled. She described her son as a young man who "loved kids" and was a cherished part of her life.
On the evening of Monday, February 23, 2009, Cynthia had prepared dinner, but Steven was in the mood for Chinese food. At about 9:30 p.m., he and his cousin drove to the China King restaurant in the 2900 block of North 22nd Street in North Philadelphia. Steven, who lived on the 2700 block of Opal Street, went into the restaurant to get their food while his cousin waited for him in the car.
While she was in the car, his cousin heard the sound of gunshots. She had not seen anything, but inside the restaurant, an unknown gunman had fired several shots at Steven.
A second, unidentified man was also shot twice in the chest during the incident; he was able to drive himself to Temple University Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. Steven was also rushed to Temple, but he was pronounced dead at 10:13 p.m.
Police investigating the shooting sought a motive. They learned that Steven’s cell phone, watch, and an undisclosed amount of money were missing from his person. The investigation was difficult from the start. According to Steven’s mother, the restaurant "Claims no cameras and nobody seen anything." The loss was devastating for her. "I have a whole in my heart that the world couldn't fit in right now," she said.
No arrests have ever been made in the case. As of May 2009, Steven Hackett's murder remains unsolved. A $2,000 reward is offered for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible.
