French filmmaker Mosco Boucault takes a procedural approach in this cinéma vérité documentary about a 1996 shooting in South Philadelphia, part of his Police Investigations series. The victim: a 15-year-old named Shafeeq Murrel.
The 1998 film begins with a 911 call reporting the murder, but detectives David Baker and Julie Hill can’t get anyone to talk, so they close the case. Eight months later, when they reopen it, they meet with less resistance. They start with Shafeeq’s mother, who admits that some of his friends were dealing drugs, and that a young woman who witnessed the shooting had refused to testify. A ballistics report eventually leads them to 19-year-old Adam, and then to 18-year-old Marcus, a known drug dealer - but neither appears to have pulled the trigger. The detectives continue to reach out to other potential witnesses and suspects, trying to piece the case together.
Beyond the questions the detectives ask, Boucault inserts himself subtly into the process by posing a few of his own in English, though he never appears on camera. He also includes spare voiceover narration in French, but his approach remains largely observational and hands-off.
Despite the lack of overt editorializing, certain themes emerge - particularly the disconnect between the perspectives of the white, middle-class detectives and the Black, working-class community members. Boucault, a Bulgarian Jew who grew up in post–World War II France, understands what it’s like to live as part of a marginalized community. Det. Baker, by contrast, seems genuinely puzzled about why concerned citizens don’t simply call the police when they see armed dealers on the corner—unaware or unwilling to acknowledge that such calls often accomplish little, and might even result in violent retaliation against those who make them.
The residents of Mole Street are caught between a rock and a hard place, distrustful of both the police and the drug dealers. Still, the detectives eventually gather enough evidence to piece together what happened. By the film’s conclusion, they’ve solved the crime and delivered justice. The closing scenes include a quiet celebration of life, followed by grim statistics about Philadelphia’s murder rate.
Throughout, Boucault avoids melodrama. He does not show Shafeeq’s family in tears or insert sentimental cues; instead, he establishes clearly that Shafeeq was a good kid who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. This matter-of-fact approach might not appeal to all viewers, but it offers a revealing look at what happens when two white detectives attempt to solve a crime in a Black neighborhood - without ever truly engaging with or trying to understand the people who live there. That doesn’t make the detectives villains; they are clearly hardworking and determined. But it does suggest a deeper, more troubling truth: that justice, in this system, may come too late, and nothing meaningful will change. More innocent bystanders, like Shafeeq, will continue to pay with their lives.
What kind of film collection would this documentary be suitable for?
The Shooting on Mole Street would be a valuable addition to collections focused on African American Studies, Race and Racism, Urban Studies, Criminology, Sociology, and Criminal Justice in both public and academic libraries. It also fits well in collections that examine law enforcement and community relations, documentary ethics, or investigative storytelling. Institutions curating films on marginalized urban communities or the real-world consequences of systemic inequality will find this documentary a vital and thought-provoking resource.
What schools or colleges is this documentary appropriate for?
This documentary is most appropriate for college and university-level courses. It would be particularly useful in undergraduate or graduate courses on cinéma vérité, direct cinema, and documentary filmmaking. Additionally, it lends itself well to coursework in Urban Studies, Criminal Justice, Race and Ethnicity in America, and courses exploring the intersections of media, justice, and inequality. Its restrained, observational style provides a strong contrast to more editorialized or dramatized true crime narratives, making it ideal for critical analysis and classroom discussion.