DARBY, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — A 15-year-old in Darby has been arrested after a mini-mart shooting that killed one teen and hospitalized another.
Police say, on Feb. 5, when 15-year-old Samir Austin and another boy were exiting the Darby Quick Mart on Main Street, Austin fired a gun into the store, killing another 15-year-old and injuring an 18-year-old.
“Samir Austin and his friend left the store. At some point they turned around and fired this gun into the store, shooting the victim twice in the chest, in the heart, killing him,” said Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer. “Those bullets passed through his body, hitting an 18-year-old boy who’s victim No. 2.”
Stollsteimer says police made quick work of their investigation.
“Together we were able to work this within 24 hours to where we had the evidence required to make the arrest of Samir Austin and charge him with first-degree murder,” Stollsteimer said.
Police have not released the names of the victims. Stollsteimer says Darby police recovered the weapon, but they are still trying to find a motive.
“I think the victims are from Yeadon. The defendant is from Darby Borough. They all go to the same high school,” Stollsteimer said. “We have no idea — cannot tell you for sure — what any motivation is.”
Stollsteimer says what they do know is the shooting was done with a “ghost gun,” a weapon with no serial number that can be ordered online and assembled by the buyer, rendering it virtually untraceable.
“This isn’t sold by a firearms dealer. This is a gun you can buy through the internet by buying a kit. Why does a 15-year-old boy have access to that?” he said.
“There’s something seriously wrong with our society if we allow these weapons of war.”
The district attorney says he wants to see ghost guns banned.
“We have a dead 15-year-old who should be in high school, and we have a 15-year-old shooter who should also be in high school today. Instead he’s going to be facing life in prison.”
The investigation is ongoing.