Budding hairdresser shot to death in Philadelphia years ago; mother seeks justice

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Four years ago, 24-year-old Ahmad Morales was shot and killed in Philadelphia.

Now, for the first time, his mother is talking to Action News about her son and what happened on that fateful day.

Tamika Morales is a hairdresser and said her son, Ahmad, was following in her footsteps.

"He started barbering and started at 16 and that's what he was doing up until, you know, his passing," Tamika said.

On July 3, 2020, Tamika said she hadn't heard from Ahmad all day, which was unusual. Later that night she got a call, but it wasn't from her son.

"That's when I got the call from a young lady that he was seeing at the time. And she just was screaming on the phone saying that my son was shot," she recalled.

At 7:19 p.m., police were called to the 1200 block of South 24th Street in the city's Point Breeze section for reports of a person shot.

When they arrived, there was a crime scene, but no victim.

Ahmad had been shot multiple times, but a private vehicle took him to the hospital before police got there.

He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

Tamika said he got a call and then walked to a corner store, but not the one near where he was staying. Surveillance video from the area shows a white 2016 to 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo drive up to Ahmad.

Police said a rear passenger got out of the vehicle as it stopped, and approached Ahmad, shooting him. The driver and another passenger also fired guns from the vehicle.

"I'm just thinking to myself, you know, sometimes I think you know was my son set up? Did somebody tell him to come to that store?" Tamika questioned.

The City of Philadelphia is offering up to $20,000 in reward money for the arrest and conviction of the person responsible.

All you have to do is call the Citizens Crime Commission at 215-546-TIPS. All calls will remain anonymous.