2 charged with attempted murder for Philadelphia bus stop shooting, police seek additional suspects
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Three of the four suspects wanted in the shooting that injured eight Northeast High School students are in custody, authorities said.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said Monday in a news conference the two 18-year-old suspects, Jamaal Tucker and Ahnile Buggs, were both taken into police custody over the weekend and charged. A third suspect was arrested Tuesday night, Robert Clark, the supervisory deputy with the U.S. Marshals Service, said.
District Attorney Larry Krasner said Tucker and Buggs were charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, conspiracy, possession of an instrument of crime, simple assault and other offenses.
Tucker turned himself into police last Friday, Frank Vanore, the Deputy Commissioner of Investigations with the Philadelphia Police Department said. Buggs was arrested Saturday by U.S. Marshals in West Philly.
Police believe Buggs and Tucker were two of the four people inside a stolen Hyundai that fired more than 30 shots at a SEPTA bus stop at Rising Sun and Cottman avenues last week and injured eight Northeast High students.
Police declined to say Buggs and Tucker's involvement in the shooting. Law enforcement is urging people involved in the shooting to turn themselves in or contact police if they have information that could lead to an arrest.
The students shot were between the ages of 15 to 17 years old, police said. A 16-year-old, who was shot nine times, was initially placed in critical condition.
But Vanore said the 16-year-old has since been upgraded to stable condition and investigators plan to speak to the teen on Monday.
Before Wednesday's shooting, another shooting at a SEPTA bus stop in Ogontz left 17-year-old Imhotep Institute Charter High School student Dayemen Taylor dead.
Bethel said there might be a connection to the shootings on Monday, but that police "weren't ready to commit to that" and authorities are still investigating.
The FBI, ATF and U.S. Marshals are assisting Philly police in their investigation.
"This is a heinous crime and requires a full-court press," Bethel said.
How police caught Northeast Philadelphia shooting suspects
Hours after the shooting last week, police recovered a stolen Hyundai as a getaway car and another stolen vehicle in the city's Olney section.
Vanore said after recovering the vehicles, police were able to gather more evidence and develop suspects.
Last Friday, police served a search warrant at multiple locations and collected more evidence, which led to Tucker turning himself in to authorities, Vanore said.
Vanore said on Saturday with the help of U.S. Marshals, police served another search warrant and took Buggs into custody.
At the location of the search warrant, Vanore said police found a "40 caliber Glock 22 pistol with an extended magazine" that was "fully loaded." It also had a laser sight and a "Glock switch," Vanore said, meaning it was fully automatic.
Vanore said police found the gun matched multiple shell casings at the scene of the shooting at Rising Sun and Cottman avenues.
"We're not done," Vanore said. "We have other people that we need to contact. We know who they are. We're going to continue to move with our investigation towards not only those individuals but this group. Anyone who may have aided and assisted them, we're coming from them, too."
Mayor Cherelle Parker says she hears Philly resident's concerns after violent week
Last week in Philadelphia, there were four separate shootings involving SEPTA and 11 juveniles were shot.
Mayor Cherelle Parker said she's heard the concerns of Philly residents and vowed once again to bring justice and the city will be "unapologetic" in their pursuit.
"I've heard you tell me you're afraid and concerned about riding SEPTA," Parker said. "You have told me that you have concerns about going to work, to school, to the store to get medicine, I need you to know that 'I hear you.' To the people of our city, we want you to know that we are unapologetic about engaging every partner available to assist us in these efforts during these very tough times."
Earlier Monday, Parker and Bethel were at Northeast High School and spoke to the mother of a student who was shot and said "it was difficult to see."
"Gun violence doesn't just leave physical scars, it tears at the fragment of our community," Bethel said. "It impacts our schools, impacts our families and leaves a ripple effect of fear and trauma."
Bethel highlights officer who "saved child's life"
During Monday's press conference, Bethel took some time to recognize Officer Christian Rodriguez, who works at the 2nd Police District in Northeast Philly.
Bethel said Rodriguez applied two tourniquets to a teen who was wounded in the shooting. His partner also applied a tourniquet.
"When he went to the hospital the doctor would say, 'That tourniquet would ultimately help to save that child's life,'" Bethel said.
Students return to class at Northeast High School
Students at Northeast spent the rest of last week doing virtual learning but began returning to in-person classrooms on Monday. Juniors and seniors are now in the building while freshmen and sophomores stay virtual. Then on Tuesday, March 12, juniors and seniors will have another day of virtual learning while freshmen and sophomores come into the building.
Principal Omar Crowder said in a message to families that the phased return to in-person learning is meant to "provide more small group and individualized support" for students.
Crisis counselors will be at the school this week to "support our students with grief counseling and whatever emotional assistance they need," and Crowder said there will be a "highly visible" police presence around the school.
SEPTA Police is also increasing patrols on bus routes near Northeast High School and will have additional staff remotely monitoring bus cameras.