More than 20 people were arrested in connection to several gang-related shootings in Philadelphia over a one-and-a-half-year span, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
On Thursday, March 19, District Attorney Larry Krasner and other law enforcement officials announced charges against 21 suspects for their alleged roles in more than a dozen shootings and gun-related crimes across Philadelphia between January 2022 and August 2023.
Investigators said there were 32 victims in all, including 18-year-old Aquill Foster who was murdered.
According to a Grand Jury, Maliek Robbins, Jayme Drayton, Marquan Flamer, Baahij Arthur, Atum El, Emmitt Hardee, Damar Holmes, Rahmel Humphrey, Carl Jarett, Quadir Spady, Elante Outerbridge, Eli Simmons, Malik Sweets, Ivan Williams, Javon Fisher, Baseer Johnson, Aliaan Harris, Taaj Lennon, Bryant Cumberbatch and Samerah Pendleton were implicated in one homicide, 18 non-fatal shootings, three carjackings at gunpoint, one car theft and one robbery at gunpoint.
Officials said one other suspect is not being named as part of an ongoing investigation.
The Grand Jury determined the suspects are connected to the street groups known as “The Senders,” “The Close Range Gang,” “7th Street,” and “PNB.”
Five of the suspects were taken into custody on Thursday while several others are already in custody awaiting trial on other charges, officials said.
The following suspects are charged with the following crimes:
Maliek Robbins
Aggravated Assault
Robbery
Conspiracy
Jayme Drayton
Marquan Flamer
Baahij Arthur
Atum El
Emmitt Hardee
Conspiracy to Commit Attempted Murder
Damar Holmes
Rahmel Humphrey
Carl Jarett
Attempted Murder
Robbery
Theft by Unlawful Taking
Quadir Spady
Attempted Murder
Aggravated Assault
Elante Outerbridge
Eli Simmons
Attempted Murder
Aggravated Assault
Robbery
Malik Sweets
Ivan Williams
Javon Fisher
Attempted Murder
Aggravated Assault
Robbery
Baseer Johnson
Attempted Murder
Robbery
Aggravated Assault
Aliaan Harris
Taaj Lennon
Bryant Cumberbatch
Attempted Murder
Aggravated Assault
Samerah Pendleton
Conspiracy to Commit Attempted Murder
“This is a good day for the citizens of Philadelphia, including the residents of South Philadelphia whose neighborhoods have been terrorized by this senseless violence like many other neighborhoods,” Krasner said. “Our office will continue to take down those who perpetrate violence and we will not stop until all Philadelphia neighborhoods feel safe. Thank you to Assistant District Attorneys Bill Fritze, Adam Farraye, and Katherine Reamy, the entire DAO’s Gun Violence Task Force, and our law enforcement partners for their thorough and decisive work in this investigation.”