A teen boy died from his injuries while his older cousin is recovering after they were both struck by stray bullets in Chester Saturday night.
The teen, identified by his aunt as Naz Nichols, 14, and his cousin Quamar Powell, 16, were walking to a corner store on the 1100 block of Pine Lane around 8 p.m. Saturday, according to their family. As the teens were walking an unidentified gunman opened fire at a vehicle that was parked nearby.
"They didn't have remorse," said Janene Shipley, one of the passengers inside the vehicle and a relative of the two boys. "They didn't stop shooting. I got underneath the dashboard. It's how I'm alive today. They shot, shot, shot, shot, shot! It sounded like they even loaded back up or something." [[380445301, C]]
Nichols was struck in the neck while Powell was also struck. Shipley, 33, was shot in the shoulder. Nichols died from his injuries. Powell and Shipley were both taken to Crozer-Chester Medical Center. Powell is in stable condition while Shipley was treated and released though a bullet is still lodged in her shoulder.
Police believe Nichols and Powell were innocent bystanders who got caught in the crossfire. Nichols' aunt, Monica Powell, is begging for the culprit to come forward.
"I just want for whoever did that to turn himself in," she said. "Because I know my baby did not deserve that. He was a good boy. He was only 14-years-old and my other nephew is only 16. Please just turn yourself in."
Chester Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland released a statement on the deadly shooting Sunday. [[380429781, C]]
"There is a young person who has lost their life to another senseless act of violence," he wrote. "On behalf of the City, I want to send my condolences and prayers to this young person’s family and to the families of the other two victims who were injured. Violence will not be tolerated. Any life lost is one life too many. This City, the residents deserve to live in a safe community. I assure you that the Chester Police Department will work to bring the persons responsible for this crime to justice. As a community, we have to work together to make Chester safer."
No arrests have been made in the shooting and police have not yet released information on any suspects. If you have any details, please call the Chester Police Department's Crime Hotline at 610-447-7810.
