PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A 15-year-old boy, who acted as lookout for three shooters and a getaway driver, and who helped coordinate the March 6 mass shooting in Northeast Philadelphia, is now in custody, according to Philadelphia police.
The teen, of Northeast Philadelphia, is a fifth suspect in the shooting of eight Northeast High School students that day at a SEPTA bus stop after school, Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said Thursday. Police say he was inside a Dunkin’ on the 7300 block of Rising Sun Avenue near that bus stop and was in communication with the other four suspects inside an allegedly stolen blue Hyundai Sonata parked just outside.
Police say he is seen on surveillance video at the scene at the time of the shooting.
“He identified some people for them. He described them, sent pictures to them while they were inside the car — even says at one point, I am wearing this type of clothing, don't cook me,” Vanore said.
Just before the shooting, police say, the 15-year-old texted the accused shooters the word “Go,” whereupon three of the young men popped out of the car, ran up to the bus stop and opened fire, while the driver circled around to pick the trio back up and flee the scene.
With the help of the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force, the four other suspects were arrested in the weeks following the shooting. The 15-year-old joins 18-year-old getaway driver Jamaal Tucker, 17-year-old Asir Boone, 18-year-old Ahnile Buggs, and 19-year-old Jermahd Carter in custody.
The 15-year-old faces charges similar to the other suspects, including attempted homicide.
Police say they are still investigating the shooting, as they believe this case is connected to several other shooting incidents around the city, some of them fatal. For example, Buggs, accused of being one of the shooters on March 6, is also being charged with murder. Police say he shot and killed 20-year-old Kristofer Dowling on Feb. 15 — also on Rising Sun Avenue.
And they are now confirming that the mass shooting two days prior at a SEPTA bus stop on Ogontz Avenue, which resulted in the death of a 17-year-old Imhotep Institute Charter High School student, is in some way connected — though they are still piecing that together.
“We are not done. We have a lot more evidence to go through, we are working with the DA's office to go through that evidence, so there are other incidents we believe are connected, we have other people that might be linked to these people.”
Police say tips from the public have been instrumental in the investigation. People with information about the five suspects, or this or any similar incident, are asked to submit an anonymous tip via phone to text at 215-686-TIPS.