Norristown Police Chief Mike Trail addresses attendees of a Nov. 5, 2025 Norristown Municipal Council meeting. (Rachel Ravina – MediaNews Group)
In the wake of a shooting that claimed the life of a 19-year-old Norristown man last month, a national gun violence advocacy organization is seeking to honor his memory.
The Austin, Texas-based Uvalde Foundation for Kids, also known as the Youth and Peace Justice Foundation, announced plans to add Hamid Boyd, the victim identified in the Nov. 30 shooting along the 1000 block of Powell Street, to its Trees for Peace Youth Gun Violence Memorial.
A tree is expected to be planted in the Allegheny National Forest, located in northwestern Pennsylvania, according to a foundation spokesperson, and the organization plans to offer a monetary reward for information as the investigation continues.
“The violence that took this young person’s life is unacceptable, and we are committed to supporting both the investigation and the community,” Maria Vasquez, a foundation spokesperson, said in a Dec. 6 statement.
Preliminary investigation materials revealed police officers were initially dispatched to the intersection of Powell and Spruce streets after receiving an alert from the gunshot detection technology known as ShotSpotter. Surveillance footage showed three men getting into a white sedan and fleeing the scene, according to Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele.
Norristown police officers performed CPR on Boyd, who was then taken to the nearby Jefferson Montgomery Einstein Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
“Hamid Boyd was a son, a sibling, and father to his daughter. His murder is a senseless tragedy which will be felt by many for years to come,” Norristown Police Chief Mike Trail said in a Dec. 3 statement, offering his condolences to Boyd’s loved ones.
Investigators encouraged anyone with information pertaining to the incident to contact the Montgomery County Detective Bureau at 610-278-3386 or Norristown police at 610-270-0977. Officials in a Monday morning statement added that people can leave tips anonymously.
The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office also offered a $5,000 reward for information concerning the suspects and vehicle in question. The Youth Peace and Justice Foundation also offered up to $5,000 “for credible information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individuals responsible for the teen’s death,” according to a spokesperson, with funds made available through the foundation’s Crimes Against Students Initiative.
“We hope this reward encourages anyone with knowledge to come forward,” Vasquez said.
