On Wednesday, March 6, 2024, in Philadelphia, there was a shooting at a Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) bus station located at Rising Sun and Cottman Avenues in Northeast Philadelphia. This occurrence left eight Northeast High School students injured.
“It’s scary, and I can’t believe it happened, to look down and see all these kids shot, lying on the ground, and it’s raining,” said Holly, a worker at a nearby Quaker Diner.
“This one kid is sitting there, holding his one friend’s head. He’s on the ground, puddles of blood around him. He was pleading with his friend, saying, ‘Keep your eyes open, stay with me, you’re going to be OK.'” CBS | Austin
According to another diner worker, Doris, she tried to remain calm as kids ran into the diner seeking safety.
According to CBS News, police said that the victims’ ages range from 15 to 17 years old. There was a 16-year-old who was shot nine times in the torso and placed in critical condition. The rest of the victims were in stable condition. Police also think that the 16-year-old may have been targeted.
On Thursday, Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said that the police found a 2018 blue Hyundai Sonata around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Olney neighborhood.
There was surveillance footage that showed the three shooters exiting the car near a Dunkin’ and firing more than 30 shots, and then fleeing the scene in the car.
That Monday, March 4, 2024, there was a different shooting in Ogontz in Philadelphia at a bus stop which led to 11 young people being shot. Police believe that the two shootings could be connected.
“On Tuesday, 37-year-old Carmelo Drayton was fatally shot on a SEPTA bus in South Philly at the intersection of Broad Street and Snyder Avenue,” mentioned by CBS News.
“Another shooting, similar to Wednesday’s shooting, included 17-year-old Dayemen Taylor, who died, and other students who were wounded who went to Imhotep Institute Charter High School. Two other victims, a 71-year-old woman and a 50-year-old, were also wounded.”
CBS News said these shootings have raised concerns about the safety of students traveling to and from school.
Bethel, the Philadelphia school district’s chief of school safety who is now the police commissioner, talked about how it’s hard to sit there and see in three days and have many young people shot who were going and coming from school.
“The cowardly acts we’ve seen over the past three days are unacceptable,” Bethel said..
According to CBS News, “Their parents need to get engaged,” Bethel said. “We’ve said this multiple times. I asked every parent today, go in those rooms and look at those tables and look in those closets and get those guns out of the house. Because at the end of the day, many of these kids are coming from the same communities where they’re shooting, and they know who they are. And the community knows who they are. We can’t do this by ourselves.”
According to CBS News, Northeast High School was virtual for the rest of the week that followed the shooting on Wednesday.
“The district’s emergency crisis response team will still be on-site at Northeast High to help students with grief counseling and other emotional assistance,” Superintendent Tony Watlington said.
According to CBS News, two 18-year-old suspects named, Jamaal Tucker and Ahnile Buggs were both taken into custody.
According to District Attorney Larry Krasner, they were charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, conspiracy, possession of an instrument of crime, simple assault and other offenses. Tucker was charged with more charges which included stolen property and unauthorized use of an automobile.
It was also stated that Tucker turned himself in on Friday, March 8, 2024. Buggs was then arrested by U.S. Marshals on Saturday in West Philadelphia.
On Tuesday March 12, 2024, 19-year-old Jermahd Carter was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals, he also has a $4 million bail.
According to CBS News, Buggs is being held on $16 million bail, and Tucker is being held on $16.1 million bail.
It was also reported to the public that 17-year-old Asir Boone, who was the last suspect, was out on the run and police were having difficulty finding him. Police then released his photo offering a $5,000 reward for any information.
CBS News states that this shooting was one of four shootings that occurred in the fourth straight day of violence. With all four shootings that occurred, it had left three people dead and 10 others wounded.
