Rising Basketball Star Noah Scurry Dies at Just 17
Just weeks after celebrating his highest SAT score and sharing his love for basketball, a teenager’s life was tragically cut short, leaving his community heartbroken.
On Tuesday morning in North Philadelphia, 17-year-old Noah Scurry, a high school basketball player and top student, was shot and killed near his home.
The incident happened around 7:15 a.m. on January 14, 2025, in an alley behind the Rorer Street rowhomes in the Feltonville neighborhood, according to police.
Noah was heading to school with his mom when the shooting happened. Monique Braxton, a spokesperson for the School District of Philadelphia, said they were about to get into their car when gunfire started.
Speaking on behalf of the school district, she said, “The principal, coach, players, classmates, peers are heartbroken. This is unimaginable. The student was getting into the car with his mom behind their home when he was shot and killed.”
A police source said many shots were fired at the teen. Noah was hit multiple times, according to the police.
One neighbor shared the terrible moment, saying, “I heard gunshots — so many — and then screaming from the mom. I can still hear her crying after seeing her son on the ground like that.”
Medics arrived and rushed Noah to a hospital, but sadly, he was pronounced dead shortly after. The police have not announced a motive or made any arrests yet.
Noah’s death has deeply affected the North Philadelphia community, especially at his school, Samuel Fels High School. Principal Melissa Rasper said he was an outstanding student.
She shared, “Noah recently scored the highest SAT score in the Fels community.”
Noah was also a skilled basketball player, excelling in both sports and academics. Following his death, the school canceled all boys’ basketball games for the rest of the week.
Melissa added, “Our community is very close, and I know this is hard news to accept, even though it didn’t happen on school property.”
“Losing someone is never easy, especially when it’s a young person and a classmate,” she said. “This is even harder during a time when our city faces so much gun violence.”
Melissa highlighted the need for mental health support. “We have counseling and support services for students who need help dealing with this grief,” she explained.
Crisis response teams and counselors were on hand to help staff and students cope. The sadness at the school was clear. A video showed the somber atmosphere after the news broke.
One student, Mohamed Elfaki, shared his feelings. “The basketball players weren’t in the lunchroom. The whole school was upset. I saw people crying. It was so traumatic.”
Noah’s family is now dealing with a heartbreaking loss. His cousin, Breanna McGlynn, started a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral expenses.
Breanna described Noah as “caring and loving” and shared how much he cared for his family and siblings.
“He was one of the best students in his school, scoring the highest SAT score in his grade,” the campaign said.
It also talked about his love for basketball, which started at a young age, and mentioned that colleges were interested in him. By January 17, 2025, the fundraiser had raised $5,232 out of its $5,500 goal, with help from 122 donors.
Noah’s social media posts showed his drive and hope. His last Instagram post, shared on December 29, 2024, read, “You wonder why they proud of me because I gave my block hope, I’m learning now I got to play my haters close they gonna hate you even if you got a bag or you broke keep my head above water they gonna try to sink the boat.”
His last post on X was a short video from a basketball game on December 11, 2024, where he proudly shared his scores: “Stats against La Salle College High 24 points 3 assist 4 rebounds.”
Noah’s tragic death has brought attention to the ongoing issue of gun violence in Philadelphia and how it affects young lives filled with potential.
His loss leaves behind a grieving family, school, and community, all mourning a bright future taken too soon.
