Philip Pass

Philip Pass, a 22-year-old Black man known for being happy and full of life, was an aspiring entrepreneur with a bright future. To his friends and family, he was affectionately known by nicknames like "3 Lor Phil" and "Phil Phil 2 Run It Up." A father to a young daughter, Philip was channeling his ambitions into several business ventures, including working in HVAC and sanitation services while also designing his own clothing line. His life, filled with promise and creativity, was tragically cut short on a summer evening in 2020.

The day of Saturday, June 20, 2020, was marked by a series of violent acts across Baltimore. As evening fell, the violence found its way to a place typically reserved for quiet reflection. At approximately 8 p.m., Baltimore Police officers were dispatched to the historic Loudon Park Cemetery, a sprawling, serene burial ground on Wilkens Avenue in the southwestern part of the city. Inside the cemetery, they found Philip Pass suffering from a critical gunshot wound to his head. He was immediately transported to a local hospital, but the injury was catastrophic, and he succumbed to it shortly after arrival.

Philip’s murder was one of two homicides in Baltimore that day, which also saw two other men wounded in separate shootings. His death became part of a grim and rising tally in a city grappling with a surge in violence. By the time of his death, Philip was the 152nd person to be killed in Baltimore that year. The month of his murder followed what had been the city's deadliest month since 2015, highlighting a deeply troubling trend. The year 2020 was on pace to surpass the record-breaking homicide rate of the previous year, a stark context for the personal tragedy of Philip's death.

The Baltimore Police Department launched a homicide investigation into the shooting. However, in the days and weeks that followed, authorities released very few details to the public. Information about a possible motive for the shooting inside the cemetery, or whether Philip was targeted, has not been made available. No persons of interest or potential suspects have ever been publicly identified by law enforcement, leaving Philip's loved ones without answers and the community without a sense of resolution.

In the years since his death, Philip's memory has been kept alive by those who knew and loved him. On online memorial pages, friends and family have lit hundreds of virtual candles and shared messages of grief and love. One poignant comment left on his profile reads, "Your Daughter Will Forever Feel Your Love. In Your Name Primo." His name was also solemnly included in a "National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims" tribute hosted by Roberta's House, a Baltimore-based grief support center that honors the many lives lost to homicide in the city.

The investigation into the murder of Philip Pass is still open, but the case has grown cold. No arrests have been made, and there have been no significant public updates from the Baltimore Police Department regarding the case's progress. The search for justice for Philip and his family continues, dependent on new information that could help detectives solve the crime.

Authorities urge anyone with information about the killing of Philip Pass to come forward. Individuals can contact the Baltimore Police Department's homicide unit at 410-396-2100. For those who wish to remain anonymous, tips can be submitted to the Metro Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-866-7Lockup.