Maurice Quann: Family describes teenager killed in July 4 shooting in Philadelphia as ‘full of joy’

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — The family of the man killed in a shooting in Philadelphia on July 4 said he could have graduated from high school in a few days and had big dreams for his future.

19-year-old Maurice Quann was killed last Thursday night when shots rang out at the corner of 60th Street and Kingsessing Avenue.

WATCH | 1 dead, 8 injured after shooting at ‘pop-up’ event in southwest Philadelphia

According to police, around 11:30 p.m. a car stopped and someone inside the car began shooting at attendees of a pop-up party in southwest Philadelphia.

According to police, nine people were shot, including three teenagers and six adults.

Quann was one of the victims. His family said he was taken to the hospital where he later died.

“I just want to know why. Why would you come and drive by when there are a bunch of kids outside?” asked Francine White, Quann’s cousin.

On Monday evening, Action News spoke with Quann’s family in the area where the shooting occurred.

They said they remember Quann as energetic, entertaining and fun-loving.

“So full of joy,” said Alayah Anderson. “He was the life of every party. No matter what room he came into, we were all just having a good time.”

Yakema Smith, Quann’s cousin, said his family does not understand why someone would do such a thing.

“Nobody in the world should want to hurt anyone,” Smith said. “But he wouldn’t have hurt a fly. He didn’t hurt anyone.”

According to his family, Quann lost his mother and several other relatives in a car accident several years ago.

He then set himself the goal of graduating from high school and going to college.

On Monday afternoon, Quann’s family received his diploma from Bartram High School. They said he will be just days away from graduation.

Instead of planning his future, Quann’s family is now preparing a funeral. They hope the police can find the person responsible.

“They deserve to spend the rest of their lives behind bars,” Smith said. “They took away from this earth a very special person who still had so much life left to live.”

Philadelphia police said they are still working to identify a suspect and a motive.