7-Year-Old Boy Dies After Being Struck by Stray Bullet During Philadelphia Shootout

A 7-year-old boy who was struck by a stray bullet over the weekend has died from his injuries.

Zamar Jones was pronounced dead at the hospital on Monday, the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office confirmed.

One man was arrested in connection to his shooting but prosecutors say they are still looking for at least two other suspects.

Christopher Linder is charged with a litany of crimes stemming not only from the West Philadelphia shooting but also for allegedly stealing a car at the scene and his alleged attempt to murder a man, prosecutors said.

Linder, 27, was initially charged with two counts each of attempted murder, aggravated assault, lying to authorities and tampering with evidence. He was also charged with gun crimes and stealing a car, among other charges.

After Zamar's death, the District Attorney's Office announced Linder is now charged with murder. Prosecutors have not released the city where Linder lives.

Zamar was playing with a toy on his parents' porch Saturday shortly before 8 p.m. when a shootout erupted on his West Philadelphia block, the 200 block of North Simpson Street, witnesses said.

A gunman in a Chevrolet pickup truck opened fire at a group of people and then crashed into a red car as the vehicle sped off. Two men then fired back at the pickup truck in retaliation. One of those bullets struck Zamar in the head.

The crime has drawn attention to the difficulty faced by those living in the neighborhood, many of whom have taken to the streets to decry violence and crime where they live. In the past six months, 79 crimes, 11 of them violent, have occurred within a two block radius of Saturday's shooting, according to a crime map.

There are police surveillance cameras on light poles in the neighborhood, but that didn't deter Saturday's shooting.

"Every kid deserves to live free of violence, harm, or fear," said Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner in a statement. "All children deserve an opportunity to develop and grow into healthy, happy adults. As long as our communities are flooded with firearms, and as long as the conditions exist that spur people to pick them up with little care for their futures, these tragedies will occur."

“We still can be the caring society we purport to be by taking meaningful action on gun safety," he said.

Members of the public who have information about the incident on the 200 block of North Simpson Street or the two suspects still at large should call 911 or 215-686-TIPS (8477), where they can remain anonymous.

There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.