A 14-year-old boy was found guilty of attempted murder after shooting a man at a SEPTA subway platform in Center City this past July, authorities announced Monday.
The teen was adjudicated in juvenile court on charges that also included gun offenses, Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office juvenile court supervisor Chesley Lightsey said.
“The judge in this case found this child to be in need of treatment, supervision and rehabilitation,” Lightsey said. Because he was 14, he was not eligible for the adult court system, she noted.
The teen surrendered to police a day after the July 14 shooting on the SEPTA platform at Market and North 15th Streets, right across the street from City Hall.
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The teen had earlier boarded at the 69th Street Station and already had a loaded gun on him, Assistant District Attorney James Quinn said. After exiting at the Center City station, he and a 15-year-old friend got into an argument with a 19-year-old man.
“Within 30 seconds of that altercation, the defendant pulled out his gun and fired three shots at point-blank range, hitting the victim in the chest, abdomen and right hand,” the ADA said.
The 15-year-old wasn't involved in the actual shooting and wasn’t charged after cooperating with the investigation, police said.
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The announcement of a conviction against the 14-year-old came on the same day that officials announced murder charges against another 14-year-old in the death of a parks and rec worker.
“We as a city and a society must do everything we can to remind our young people, through our words and through our actions, that they are valued and that they are important and that their lives do matter and that they must put down the guns before making dangerous, split-second decisions that will shatter their countless lives forever,” Mayor Jim Kenney said.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
