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Sketch released of suspect in African student’s slaying

Police today released a sketch of a man suspected of killing a student from Africa Monday in Southwest Philadelphia.

Police today released a sketch of a man suspected of killing a student from Africa Monday in Southwest Philadelphia.

Mamadou Makadji, 22, was shot in Elmwood Park after he failed to grasp the commands of an armed robber.

Makadji, from Mali in West Africa, had been in this country for three months and was learning English as a second language at Temple University.

He apparently did not understand the gunman's demand to empty his pockets of cash.

The frustrated gunmen pistol-whipped Makadji and then shot him once in the chest. He was pronounced dead at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania a short time later.

The suspect is described as about 20 years old, with a slim build and a dark complexion. He is said to be approximately 6 feet tall. He was wearing a blue baseball cap, a green polo shirt with an orange polo logo, blue jeans, and house slippers.

Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Kenneth Rossiter of the Philadelphia Police Homicide Unit at Any information Please contact: 215-686-3334 or 215-686-3335.

Contact staff writer Sam Wood at 215-854-2796 or at samwood@phillynews.com.