Ameer Baksh

Do you know who killed Ameer Kareem Hamid Baksh in 2012?
Ameer Kareem Hamid Baksh was a kind, happy, and free-spirited young man who was deeply loved by his family, friends, and neighbors. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, the 20-year-old had moved to the United States with his family and settled in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He was the fourth of five children and the second son. His parents remembered him as pure love, a sympathetic son who never answered back and was never jealous or envious. A 2010 graduate of Green Run High School, Ameer worked at a local gas station. He had an adventurous spirit, having once hiked to Ohio and hitchhiked to California. His father, a disabled Vietnam combat veteran named Kemal Baksh, said Ameer dreamed of one day returning to his family's homeland.

That dream was cut short on the afternoon of Thursday, April 5, 2012. Just after 4:30 p.m., Ameer was riding his skateboard in the Windsor Oaks neighborhood, not far from his family's home on Water Oak Lane. A shot suddenly rang out in the 3800 block of Old Forge Road. When Virginia Beach police officers arrived at the scene, they found Ameer suffering from a single gunshot wound. He was rushed to Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital, but his injury was too severe, and he was pronounced dead. The sudden violence shattered the peace of the spring afternoon and irrevocably broke the hearts of his family.

The Virginia Beach Police Department immediately launched a homicide investigation, with Detective John Allen assigned to the case. Investigators learned that Ameer had been skateboarding just before he was shot. Police announced they were looking for three males, estimated to be between the ages of 17 and 25, in connection with the shooting. In the days that followed, Ameer’s devastated parents made a public plea for help in finding their son’s killer. "My son, he’s an angel," his father said, his voice breaking with emotion. His mother, Marilyn Baksh, begged for the community’s assistance. "Anyone who knows anything, or hears anything, or sees anything, I would love it if they would contact police," she pleaded through tears.

The family was consumed by grief and a search for understanding. "I don’t know why anyone would want to take a good soul like him. I don’t understand it," Marilyn Baksh said. The pain of her loss was immense and immediate. "Twenty years of my life taking care of him and in a second they just snuffed out his life," she lamented, finding a sliver of solace only in her faith. "God has a better purpose for him. That’s what I believe." Her words painted a portrait of a beloved son whose vibrant life was extinguished in a senseless act, leaving his loved ones to grapple with a future that would never be.

In the years since Ameer Baksh was killed, his case has grown cold. No arrests have ever been announced, and no suspects have been publicly identified. The three young men sought by police in the initial days of the investigation have not been found, and the motive for the shooting remains a mystery. For Ameer’s family and community, the lack of answers has only compounded the tragedy of his death. The case remains an open and unsolved homicide with the Virginia Beach Police Department.

The loss of Ameer Baksh left a permanent void in the lives of those who knew and cherished him. His infectious smile and generous nature are remembered by all who were close to him. His family continues to hope that one day, justice will be served. A reward of up to $1,000 is available for information that leads to an arrest. Authorities urge anyone with information about the murder of Ameer Baksh to contact the Virginia Beach Crime Solvers at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP (562-5887).