Basil Adams led a busy life. He was a criminal justice major at Cheyney University, had a part-time job at USA Kicks, and led a dance drill team.
He lived in a house that his mother owned in Oxford Circle, paying the bills and handling the upkeep.
Basil was running an errand when he was shot and killed March 25, 2017 in the Summerdale section of Northeast Philadelphia. One arrest has been made so far.
“All of it was stolen from us,” his mother, Angela Mojica, said. “I didn’t even get to see him graduate. That was my goal because I didn’t get to graduate from college.”
Basil was born Jan. 29, 1990 in Philadelphia and grew up in the Northeast. He had a younger sister, Imani Hatchett, who is 24, and a stepbrother. Basil was preceded in death 10 years ago by younger brother who died of an asthma attack.
“Basil was an amazing person. He was very loving,” Imani said. “I have three children and he treated them like they were his.”
Basil graduated from Samuel Fels High School in 2008, but he almost didn’t. At one point in his life, he thought about dropping out, Angela said. But she encouraged him to stick with it, and he not only graduated but later decided to continue his education.
While at Cheyney, he lived on campus during his first year, then began commuting to and from campus on SEPTA.
His goal was to be a police detective, but his first love was choreography and dancing. In fact, his original plan was to study dance in college.
Basil was 12 when he got involved with a drill team and he went on to start his own team, Iconic Modern Legends. Over the years he traveled all over the region competing against other teams.
He also mentored young dancers, Angela said.
“He had a lot to do with the youth, just trying to keep the kids occupied,” Angela said. “The youth is so lost.”
She described her son as a good-hearted person who always wanted everyone to get along — a quality that would have been beneficial if he had become a police officer.
“If he would see something, he’d be the peacemaker and stop the problem and try to make them talk,” she said. “He didn’t like a lot of drama. He was a very peaceful person.”
On the first anniversary of his death, Angela, along with her family and some of Basil’s friends, gathered together to cook out and release balloons.
Angela also finds comfort in watching Basil’s many dance videos that he had posted on social media.
“He made so many videos,” she said. “I just watch his videos over and over, wishing he was here.”
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