PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The man accused of starting a fight that directly caused the South Street mass shooting in 2022 was sentenced on Wednesday to prison time in a Philadelphia courtroom.
Rashaan Vereen will spend nine to 23 months behind bars, after being convicted of assault, conspiracy and reckless endangerment charges, among other offenses.
Prosecutors say Vereen and another man, Gregory Jackson, attacked Micah Townes near 4th and South streets on June 4, 2022, which prompted both Jackson and Townes to pull out guns. Townes, they say, shot first in self-defense and killed Jackson, but was also shot in the chest.
Authorities say this incident prompted a rush of people running west on South Street — and prompted two other suspects, Nahjee Whittington and Quadir Dukes-Hill, to fire guns up the street. Whittington and Hill were both charged with murder.
In total, 14 people were shot and three died — Jackson, 25-year-old Alexis Quinn and 22-year-old Kristopher Minners, a resident advisor at Girard College. Quinn and Minners were just out on South Street enjoying the evening and were completely innocent bystanders.
Vereen will begin his sentence next month.