I-Team Investigation: The Criminal Past Of The Two Brothers Charged With Officer Wilson's Murder
By Charlotte Huffman
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The CBS Philly I-Team obtained court records that reveal the troubled past of the two brothers charged with the fatal shooting of a Philadelphia Police Officer.
Police charged Ramone Williams, 24 and Carlton Hipps, 29 with first-degree murder, attempted murder, robbery and other related offenses following Thursday's shooting at a North Philadelphia game store.
Both men could face the death penalty for the fatal shooting of Officer Robert Wilson III, an eight-year veteran of the force.
Police say when Williams and Hipps attempted an armed robbery of the Game Stop store Thursday afternoon, they were unaware Officer Wilson was inside buying a gift for his son.
Thursday's incident is not the first time Williams and Hipps have run into trouble with the law.
Williams was previously arrested for retail theft.
Hipps has multiple convictions.
Court records show Hipps pled guilty to robbery and firearms charges following a 2004 incident.
He was sentenced to five to 10 years but only served the minimum five years before being released on parole in 2009.
The I-Team obtained records from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole regarding the board's decision to release Hipps.
The Board stated Hipps was not a risk to the community, received a "positive recommendation made by the Department of Corrections" and demonstrated a "motivation for success."
According to a board spokeswoman, Hipps did not have any infractions during his parole and did not have any violations of parole that led to a recommitment.
Hipps sentence and parole ended last year.
During Thursday's shooting, Hipps was serving a three year county probation sentence which began in September 2014.
Hipps was required to report to his probation officer once a month.
Most recently, he reported on Tuesday, according to Richard McSorley, Deputy Court Administrator, Criminal Trial Division.
McSorley tells the I-Team that Hipps' probation officer did not note any problems during the Tuesday meeting, two days before the shooting.
Hipps did not have any infractions during his county probation sentence.
McSorley says Hipps signed a document as required by the terms of his county probation, saying he did not and would not possess any firearms.
Following Thursday's shooting, police recovered an AK-47 while executing a search warrant of Williams and Hipps' residence on the 12-hundred block of North Hollywood Street in Brewerytown.
Police say Williams confessed to police that the semi-automatic weapons he and Hipps used Thursday were "bought off the streets."
A total of 50 gunshots were fired during the incident according to homicide Captain James Clark, Philadelphia Police Department.
An investigation is underway to determine who may have illegally supplied the guns to the brothers.
The I-Team tried to reach the family of Williams and Hipps Thursday for comment.
Frank Diggs says Williams and his mother used to rent an apartment from him in North Philly but moved out sometime around 2011.
"All I can say is … (Ramone) didn't cause me any problems. He was gone most of the time. He had a fast car that was all dolled up, I know that," said Diggs.