A fatal shooting occurred inside an apartment on the 7000 block of Langdon Street in the Rhawnhurst section of Philadelphia on Monday night March 9, 2026. Robert Tatum, 29, allegedly shot his 18-year-old pregnant girlfriend Lemmarra Bradshaw during an argument that began over a pet hamster her mother had recently given her.
The dispute quickly escalated with accusations of infidelity and jealousy leading Tatum to fire a single shot that struck Bradshaw in the chest. She was pronounced dead at the scene leaving behind her 4-year-old daughter and an unborn second child. No other individuals were injured during the incident that unfolded inside the residence on Langdon Street.
Family members described the relationship as abusive with Bradshaw’s aunt noting that Tatum had been controlling and jealous. About two weeks prior to the shooting he allegedly punched Bradshaw in the face though she returned to him shortly afterward. The family believes the real issue that night was Tatum’s alleged cheating rather than the hamster itself.
Tatum claimed self defense telling investigators that Bradshaw approached him with a knife and a screwdriver prompting him to shoot her. Philadelphia police arrested him shortly after the incident on Langdon Street and charged him with voluntary manslaughter possessing an instrument of crime with intent and recklessly endangering another person. He remains in custody as the case proceeds through the courts with the investigation focusing on the sequence of events inside the Rhawnhurst apartment.
Bradshaw was remembered by loved ones as a young mother who had been navigating relationship challenges while preparing for her second child. The tragedy has highlighted concerns about domestic violence in the Rhawnhurst neighborhood where the shooting took place on the 7000 block of Langdon Street. Community members and family have called for greater awareness and support for victims of controlling relationships in the Philadelphia area.
The Philadelphia Police Department continues its investigation into the March 9 shooting with no additional suspects identified. Detectives have reviewed evidence from the Langdon Street residence including statements from family members who described ongoing arguments in recent weeks. The case remains active as authorities work to provide full accountability for the death of Lemmarra Bradshaw and the impact on her surviving daughter.
Tributes have poured in for Bradshaw with her family emphasizing her youth and the loss of her unborn child while urging others to recognize signs of abusive dynamics. The incident on the 7000 block of Langdon Street in Rhawnhurst has prompted reflections on relationship safety in the community as the legal proceedings against Tatum advance. Resources for domestic violence support remain available for anyone facing similar challenges in the Philadelphia area.