Police identified the victim as 16-year-old Khyon Smith-Tate; three teenage boys are being sought.
PHILADELPHIA, PA — A 16-year-old boy was found shot to death inside the bathroom of a Chipotle just off Temple University’s campus shortly after 5 p.m. Monday, authorities said, setting off a search for three teens who were seen in the busy restaurant around the time of the killing.
Police identified the victim as Khyon Smith-Tate of Philadelphia. Investigators said the shooting happened at the Chipotle at 12th Street and Montgomery Avenue during the evening rush as students returned for Temple’s first day of spring classes. The case is being handled by the Police Department’s Homicide Unit with support from Temple police and the District Attorney’s Office. No arrests had been announced as of Tuesday night. The death drew statements of shock from the university, the victim’s charter school and the restaurant chain, which closed the location to assist investigators.
Officers were called to the restaurant a little after 5 p.m. Monday. Chief Inspector Scott Small said employees found Smith-Tate in the restroom with a gunshot wound to the chest and called for help. Medics pronounced him dead at 5:24 p.m. One spent shell casing was recovered in the bathroom, and no weapon was found. Small said surveillance video shows Smith-Tate entering the restaurant with other teens before at least two asked for the bathroom key. “It was very noisy at the time,” Small said, noting investigators initially did not get reports from customers or workers who heard a gunshot as music played and orders were filled.
Detectives said they are seeking three boys believed to be 16 or 17 years old who were in or near the restrooms around the time of the shooting. Descriptions released by police included at least two youths with dreadlocks and all three wearing backpacks and dark outerwear. A person of interest was briefly detained nearby Monday evening, but police did not immediately say whether that individual was a suspect or a witness. The restaurant sits beneath The View at Montgomery apartments on the 1100 block of West Montgomery Avenue, a hub for Temple students between the Student Center and TECH Center. Investigators interviewed employees and patrons who were inside during the dinner rush and reviewed camera footage from the store and surrounding properties.
In a statement, Chipotle said the company was “heartbroken” by the shooting and would keep the store closed while cooperating with police. The chain said counseling is available to employees from that location. Temple University leaders called the killing “deeply upsetting” and said the school’s counseling services were available to students. The District Attorney’s Office said specialized units met with co-survivors and visited the victim’s school, Imhotep Institute Charter High School, to support students and staff. Imhotep leaders described Smith-Tate as “caring, energetic” and “filled with school pride,” adding that the community is grieving while awaiting answers.
The shooting occurred as Temple’s spring semester began, a period when foot traffic is heavy around campus eateries. Police said Smith-Tate’s listed address is several blocks from the scene. Investigators believe the gunfire happened inside the restroom after two teens went into one bathroom and two into another, according to police accounts gathered Tuesday. Authorities emphasized that the motive remains unknown. Detectives are working to confirm the sequence of movements seen on surveillance video, determine who was in the restrooms at key moments and trace the firearm used. No additional suspects beyond the three teens were being sought as of late Tuesday, officials said.
Legal next steps include continued evidence processing and interviews, potential identification procedures and ballistics testing of the recovered casing. Police said updates on suspects or any charges will come from the Homicide Unit. The District Attorney’s Office said its Homicide & Non-Fatal Shooting Unit is coordinating with detectives as the investigation progresses. The restaurant will remain closed while police complete forensic work inside. Officials said additional information could be released after witness re-interviews and a review of surveillance footage from nearby buildings. Authorities did not immediately announce plans for a public briefing, but investigators are expected to provide the next update once key interviews are complete.
Outside the shuttered restaurant Tuesday, clusters of students slowed to look through the darkened windows and the taped-off entrance. “He’s a kid. It’s terrifying,” said Cloud Mensah, a Temple freshman who walked past the scene. Another student, Arden O’Dell, said the killing was “very sad” but not surprising given recent incidents near campus. At the victim’s school, educators and counselors led healing circles. District Attorney Larry Krasner visited Imhotep and later met with relatives, telling reporters he offered condolences and noted that early phases of a homicide investigation can take time to sort out. Neighboring residents described the dinner hour crowd as typical for the location, where teenagers often congregate after school.
As of Tuesday night, police had not announced arrests and continued to ask for information about the three teens sought in the case. The Chipotle location remained closed, and Temple reminded students of available counseling resources. Investigators said the next milestone is an evidentiary update after witness interviews and additional video review in the coming days.
Author note: Last updated January 14, 2026.