Suspect arrested in Philadelphia mass shooting; police believe another is linked through social media
A suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting at Fairmount Park that left a 17-year-old girl dead, and Philadelphia police believe it's connected to a separate mass shooting in Southwest Philly a month later on the Fourth of July, officials said Thursday at City Hall.
The Philadelphia DA's office said 17-year-old Zayaan Carroll was arrested in the shooting on June 14 on the 2400 block of Greenland Drive in Fairmount Park that left 17-year-old Isya Stanley dead and four other teens injured. Carroll was charged with murder, aggravated assault, carrying a firearm without a license, possession of an instrument of a crime and other offenses, officials said.
Carroll was taken into custody on Wednesday, Philadelphia Police Deputy Commissioner of Investigations Frank Vanore said. Investigators arrested Carroll after a separate person was taken into custody during a routine traffic stop, according to officials. A gun on that person matched the ballistics from the Fairmount Park shooting allegedly fired by Carroll, and investigators also found statements on his phone about the shooting. Police haven't identified the person who had the gun during the traffic stop.
On the night of June 14 at Fairmount Park, Vanore said Carroll and another person who police haven't identified yet were shooting at each other while about 200 people, including Stanley, were at a pop-up party promoted on social media.
Vanore said Carroll or the other shooter had a weapon with a "switch" on it because the gun was fired like an automatic weapon, which led to Stanley being killed and four others suffering gunshot wounds.
Vanore said everyone at Fairmount Park who was struck by gunfire was an "innocent victim and at the wrong place at the wrong time." Police don't believe they were targeted, but officials said they're looking into other people who fired at Carroll.
Victim's family reacts
Stanley's parents said they were overwhelmed with joy when they heard of an arrest in their daughter's case. The two say the past few months have been full of dark days, but the arrest finally gave them a reason to smile.
"I'm ecstatic," said Aself Stanley, Isya Stanley's father.
Stanley's mother Regina Jones added, "I made a promise to my daughter on her bedside the day she was murdered that I would not stop until I get justice."
Her parents say the arrest doesn't heal the wound of losing their daughter but say it does get them one step closer to justice.
"I pray that we can get him prosecuted to the fullest extent," Jones said.
Police say July 4 mass shooting is linked
Vanore said police believe the shootings at Fairmount Park and another mass shooting on the Fourth of July weeks later are connected due to them both being social media-promoted events. About 150 people were at the event in Southwest Philly, Vanore said. Both people who were killed in the shootings promoted the events on social media and had a relationship, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said.
However, in the shooting on the 1900 block of South Salford Street on the Fourth of July, Vanore said a white Toyota Highlander pulled up and fired weapons in the direction of 20-year-old Maurice Quann, who was killed, and eight others ranging from the age of 14 to 24 who were wounded.
Vanore said police found the vehicle within 24 hours of the shooting in Lansdowne, Delaware County, but they're asking for the public's help in that shooting.