Crime
Azir Harris Shot Multiple Times in the Back, Someone Jumped Over His Wheelchair During Attack
PHILADELPHIA — Azir Harris, a 24-year-old father and outspoken advocate for gun violence survivors, was tragically killed early Monday morning during a mass shooting at a block party in South Philadelphia, his family confirmed.
Harris, who had been paralyzed in a 2018 shooting at the age of 17, was attending a neighborhood cookout on the 1500 block of South Etting Street.
According to his father, Troy Harris, Azir had gone to enjoy the evening with friends and family, including the mother of his 1-year-old son, who was also injured in the shooting.
The gathering followed a weekend of remembrance for four young men from the community who were previously killed in acts of gun violence.
Community members said the atmosphere was celebratory, with music, food, and conversation—until it turned into chaos.
Shortly before 1 a.m., gunfire erupted. Police said more than 110 rounds were fired along the densely packed street, where dozens had gathered.
Harris, seated in his wheelchair, was struck multiple times in the back. Despite efforts to save him, he was pronounced dead shortly after 2:15 a.m. at a nearby hospital.
His wheelchair was left behind at the scene, surrounded by bullet casings and evidence markers—a haunting symbol of a life cut short.
“He was the light of this house,” said Troy Harris, speaking emotionally about his youngest son, the youngest of six children. “The kid fought so hard to stay here. And look … look what happened.”
After being paralyzed in the 2018 shooting, Azir had become a dedicated advocate for survivors of gun violence and a devoted father to his young son, Aspen.
“He was so committed to being a dad,” his father said. “He didn’t let not being able to use his legs stop him from being totally committed. He would do everything—sometimes it would make us nervous. But he was so happy to be a father.”
As the investigation continues, police believe multiple shooters were involved, though no motive has yet been determined.
At least 13 people were injured in the shooting, three fatally.
The ages of the victims range from 15 to 24.
Troy Harris spent Monday making heartbreaking calls to those who had helped support his son’s recovery and journey since 2018.
The shooting marks the second mass shooting in Philadelphia in just days and underscores the growing concern over escalating violence in the city.
Crime
Mustapha Kharbouch Now-Deleted 2024 Manifesto Published in Institute for Palestine Studies Recovered
Brown University has removed multiple online references to student activist Mustapha Kharbouch in the days following a deadly campus shooting, a move that has drawn public attention amid heightened online speculation—despite law enforcement officials confirming that no suspects or persons of interest have been identified in the investigation.
Archived versions of Brown University webpages show that Kharbouch, a first-year student at the time, was previously listed in several university-affiliated roles, including as a student assistant and Cultural Programming Coordinator connected to the Global Brown Center.
His academic interests were described as focusing on International and Public Affairs and Anthropology, with involvement in Middle East–focused academic, cultural, and student programming.
Those pages are no longer accessible, and Kharbouch’s social media accounts have also been deactivated.
A verified buyer from the United States with the name “Mustapha K.” reviewed a 9MM muzzle brake through the Wing Tactical website on December 29th, 2024 — the same caliber used in the Brown shooting.
There are approximately a few hundred people in the entire United States with that first name + last initial combination.
University officials have not issued a public explanation for the removal of the online profiles.
The changes occurred as online speculation intensified in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, with social media users circulating screenshots of archived university pages and past writings associated with Kharbouch.
Among the materials resurfaced by online users was a 2024 essay authored by Kharbouch and published by the Institute for Palestine Studies as part of a special student essay series titled Genocide in Gaza: Student Essays — Brown University Encampment 2024.
The essay, titled “I Hear the Voice of My Ancestors Calling: From the Camps to the Campus,” was published on August 13, 2024, months before the shooting. The piece is a first-person reflective essay examining Palestinian identity, intergenerational memory, student activism, and questions of hope amid displacement, war, and protest.
The article includes poetic excerpts adapted from “Ancestors Song,” a chant popularized during student-led Palestine solidarity actions at Brown University, and documents Kharbouch’s participation in campus organizing efforts, including sit-ins, hunger strikes, rallies, and the Brown Gaza Solidarity Encampment.
The essay situates these experiences within a broader discussion of decolonial thought, feminist theory, and Palestinian history, including reflections on the 1948 Nakba and the author’s family history as a third-generation stateless Palestinian refugee raised in Lebanon.
The content of the essay is ideological, autobiographical, and academic in nature.
There is no reference to violence on campus, nor any indication of intent or planning related to criminal activity.
The Institute for Palestine Studies has not issued any statement suggesting the piece is under review or connected to the shooting.
Despite widespread online conjecture, law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and Providence Police, have not named Mustapha Kharbouch as a suspect or person of interest, and have publicly stated that there is no evidence linking him to the shooting.
Investigators have emphasized that the case remains active and that conclusions are being guided strictly by verified evidence.
Authorities have cautioned against drawing inferences from online speculation, warning that unsubstantiated claims can compromise investigations and cause undue harm to individuals not implicated by facts.
Media analysts and campus observers have suggested that Brown University’s decision to remove online references may have been taken as a protective or precautionary measure, particularly as misinformation and harassment proliferated across social media platforms following the attack.
Similar actions have been taken by institutions in other high-profile incidents to limit doxxing, targeted harassment, or the misinterpretation of publicly available biographical information during periods of heightened tension.
Brown University has not confirmed whether the removals were temporary, administrative, or safety-related in nature.
Authorities continue to urge the public to rely on confirmed information released by law enforcement and to avoid amplifying unverified narratives.
As of the most recent update, no arrests have been announced, no individuals have been publicly identified as suspects, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with credible information related to the shooting has been asked to contact investigators directly.