Major gang bust in Philadelphia puts 5 people behind bars: DA
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Five accused gang members in Philadelphia are off the streets after a major gang bust. The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office says the group was behind several deadly and non-deadly shootings over the past two years.
As police continue to search for those suspected gang members, the mother of the young store owner who lost his life says she's thankful to law enforcement for making the arrests, saying she's been waiting for this moment for 17 long months.
"Thank you, thank, thank you, thank you, cause so many days I thought that they gave up. And they didn't," mother Pamela Owensby.
Pamela Owensby burst into tears after learning her son's alleged killers have been caught.
"It's been a long long time coming," Owensby said.
Her son, Sircarr Johnson, 23, was killed while hosting a Fourth of July BBQ party outside his clothing store in West Philly in 2021.
A security camera captured the horrifying moments a gunman fired more than 100 shots along 60th and Sansom Streets.
Police say Johnson was killed instantly.
Also killed was Salahaldin Mahmoud, 21, a cousin of State Sen. Sharif Street's wife, April. A 16-year-old girl was also hurt but arrests have now been made.
"They are facing a vigorous and just prosecution," District Attorney Larry Krasner said.
The DA's office says a few people have been responsible for a large amount of violence in the city. Now, some of those accused gang members are behind bars.
"He's very inquisitive. Very," Nydisha Williams said. "Just always wanted more."
A champion track star and A-plus student. That is how Williams remembers her 15-year-old Antonio Walker.
Authorities say Antonio was walking with his cousin on Pentridge Street in West Philadelphia to meet some friends in March 2021 when someone in a car pulled up and opened fire, killing Antonio and leaving his mother shattered.
"Every second of the day has been complete torture," Williams said.
Authorities believe Anthony Lacey-Woodson is among those responsible for Antonio's death.
Williams describes the moment she found out he was taken into custody.
"They called his father on Friday and he called me," Williams said, "and I was just shaking because honestly, it's almost two years out and I really of lost hope in the judicial system and this just let me know the cops are working."
The Philadelphia DA's Office says Lacey-Woodson and four others -- Jalen Mickens, Tyheed Cooper, Kimberly Johnson and Fabian Creary -- are responsible for multiple shootings across the city and were arrested.
Three other suspects -- Calvin Gatewood, Nasir Wells, and Ahmir Johnson -- are still at large.
Authorities say all eight suspects are members of the 02DA4 gang.
"Right now, as we sit here, they're sitting in jail cells," Krasner said. "They and their affiliated gang and group members are staring at jail bars and they are facing a vicarious and just prosecution by this DA's office, which has a record for homicide record at the trial level that is close to 90%."
"This is a big swing taking against a horrible group that for too long has caused incalculable pain to the good residents of the City of Philadelphia," Assistant District Attorney Jeffrey Palmer said.
As for Williams, the arrest of her son's alleged killer means she can close out the year with justice.
"I have another older son and younger son that I worry for every day," Williams said. "This eases a little bit of the worry for me."
Williams has since created a foundation in her son's memory to encourage students who are interested in science, technology, engineering and math, which were some of her son's favorite subjects at school.
Police say Sircarr Johnson and the other victims in that shooting had no affiliation with the gang allegedly targetted by the 02DA4 gang.
The district attorney's office says it took a lot of collaboration between the Philadelphia Police Department, the Gun Violence Task Force, the FBI and the Attorney General's Office to make the arrests.
