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Philadelphia mayor Jim Kenney, along with law enforcement officials, are addressed the media on Tuesday, to provide an update to the ongoing investigation after a mass shooting on Monday night in the city’s Kingsessing neighborhood left five people dead and two children injured.
At police headquarters, just blocks away from where thousands are expected to celebrate the birth of America during the day’s Fourth of July celebrations, Mayor Kenney — joined by Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw and Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner — are expected to discuss the deadly shooting that unfolded on Monday evening.
“We are all heartbroken for the families who lost loved ones,” Kenney opened his remarks.
Kenney said that officers acted quickly during the evening, as the shooter reportedly selected targets at random as the shooting spree unfolded.
“That scene must have been chaotic. They were taking active fire, scooping people up, trying to get them to the hospital to save them and our officers deserve our debt of gratitude for their courage and their commitment to Philadelphians,” said the mayor.
Earlier Tuesday, a police source with knowledge of the case said officials have apprehended a 40-year-old named Kimbrady Carriker as the alleged shooter in this incident.
Also, shortly before Kenney’s address, officials identified those killed in this incident as four residents of the city’s Kingsessing neighborhood — along with a teen boy with no known address.
According to police, Lashyd Merritt, 20, died after he was shot multiple times in the chest and arm; Dymir Stanton, 29, died after he was shot in the chest and back; 59-year-old Ralph Moralis, died after he was shot in the head, side, and buttocks and Joseph Wamah, Jr., 31, died after he was shot multiple times.
Also, 15-year-old Daujan Brown died after he was shot in the shoulder, chest, and back, police said.
Officials said on Monday night, the shooting spree began around 8:30 p.m. on 56th and Chester streets in the city’s Kingsessing neighborhood.
According to police, a shooter wearing body armor and armed with an AR-15 style assault weapon moved throughout an area spanning several blocks, shooting and killing several people, until officers spotted the alleged shooter — now believed to be Carriker — and apprehended them without further incident.
Investigators said Carriker was wearing a bulletproof vest with multiple magazines inside of it.
Police Commissioner Outlaw said that Carriker was also in possession of a scanner, an AR-style rifle and a handgun at the time of his arrest.
“What happened last night in our Kingsessing neighborhood was disgusting and horrifying,” said Outlaw, emphasizing that the shooting was “seemingly at random.”
Outlaw could not provide many details as the investigation is ongoing, but she said that police do not believe any of the victims knew their killer and they believe Carriker acted alone.
Ernest Ransom, commanding officer of the Philadelphia Police’s Homicide Unit, said that, according to witnesses, the shooter was spotted near 56th Street near Chester and Springfield avenues before the incident began.
“The suspect then began shooting aimlessly at occupied vehicles and individuals on the street as they walked,” said Ransom.
He said that the shooter fired at a mother with her twin two-year-old children — one was injured by a gunshot and the other’s eyes were injured by glass broken during the shooting. Both are in stable condition, said Ransom.
In an interview with NBC10’s Miguel Martinez-Valle, the mother of 15-year-old Daujan Brown, Nashaya Thomas, said that her son was helping a friend who had been shot in the leg when he was killed.
“His friend was hurt and he was trying to get his friend help but the guy was still in the act of doing his thing,” she said. “He was just trying to get his friend help not knowing that bullets don’t have no name.”
According to District Attorney Krasner, Carriker has yet to be charged, but he believes the alleged shooter will face murder, aggravated assault and related charges.
“This is a person who is never going to leave jail before trial,” said Krasner. “And, it is my expectation, is never going to leave jail period.”
Officials said that they believe there is no further threat to the community with Carriker in custody.
Asked if there could be any changes to Wawa Welcome America security due to Monday’s shooting, Kenney said these events are entirely unrelated.
“This is Kingsessing. it’s not even close to where the concert’s going to be,” said the mayor.
Entering Tuesday, Philadelphia had reported 212 homicides so far in 2023, according to police data. That’s down about 19% from the same time the previous year, which was one of the deadliest on record in Philadelphia.
Children have made up about 11% of the nearly 930 shooting victims so far this year in Philadelphia, according to data released by the City Controller’s Office, which was last updated Sunday.
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