Grandmother of Slain Roxborough Student: 'They Took My Baby Away'

Roxborough High School senior Rashawn Anderson, 18, was shot to death late Monday night, Philadelphia Police said Tuesday. 

While walking on the 3200 block of McMichael Street at 11:10 p.m. the standout basketball player was reportedly shot eight or nine times.

Police said Anderson was taken to Temple University Hospital and pronounced dead at 11:40 p.m. due to a gunshot wound to the head. Homicide detectives are currently investigating the shooting, and no motives were reported. 

WPVI-TV originally reported the incident. 

Anderson's grandmother, Sharon Anderson, said Tuesday, "People knocked on our door and told us he was killed. They took my baby away."

Sharon Anderson said his parents were at the Medical Examiner's Officer. She described her late grandson.

"He was an all-around kid. He was a great guy. He had little problems at school, but turned himself around. He wanted to go to college and wanted to play ball.

"That was his life—ball."

Earlier Tuesday, on Anderson where he described his comeback career. In middle school, he got in a physical altercation with a teacher and was forced to attend a reform school. When he enrolled at Roxborough High School his junior year, he quickly became a standout.

However, before a game against Germantown Friends Dec. 10, he suffered a seizure due to dehydration and missed a large portion of his senior season.

Since his return, Anderson led the Indians into the Public League playoffs.

The Indians first-round matchup is scheduled for Tuesday. Roxborough Principal Stephen Brandt was unable to comment specifically about the incident, but confirmed the game verse Southern High School was still going to take place.

"The players all agreed they wanted to keep it going and play for Rashawn," Brandt said, adding a moment of silence will be observed. The 3:15 p.m. game will be played at Broad and Snyder Streets. 

The death was the second Roxborough High School student gunned down within the past 30 days. Christopher Foster, 18, in Germantown Jan. 19. Police said there was no connection between the two incidents.

School district officials did not immediately return requests for information Tuesday.

Editor's note: Roxborough-Manayunk Patch featured a profile story on Anderson's basketball comeback earlier today. We temporarily removed it, but republished it following an interview with his family. The story is .