Global Courant
The first of five people killed in a mass shooting in Philadelphia last week was most likely shot about 44 hours before the others, authorities said Sunday.
The Philadelphia Police Department said in a statement that its investigation, with the help of the local medical examiner’s office, determined that 31-year-old Joseph Wamah Jr. was killed on July 2.
On the evening of July 3, police say, the suspect in Wamah’s murder, Kimbrady Carriker, 40, opened fire indiscriminately in a neighborhood southwest of Center City.
The dead in that incident were identified as Lashyd Merritt, 20; Dymir Stanton, 29; Ralph Moralis, 59; and Daujan Brown, 15. Boys aged 2 and 13 were injured and other people were targeted but not hit, authorities said.
According to authorities, the shooter wore a balaclava and ballistic vest and was carrying an unmarked, unregistered ghost pistol, multiple ammunition magazines and an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle.
The suspect, held without bail, has been charged with five counts of murder, five counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault, possession of an unlicensed weapon and carrying firearms in public.
He was represented by a public defender. The Defender Association of Philadelphia did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the police’s latest statement.
Wamah was not known as a victim until after the gunfire was over on July 3. It was not clear if he and the suspect knew each other; police believe the other victims were on streets and sidewalks and were shot at random.
A senior law enforcement source briefed on the investigation said detectives believe Carriker is mentally ill. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has said it is likely his office will request expert investigations of the defendant.
Police said on Sunday someone reported shots fired near Wamah’s residence on July 2, but officers had been sent to the wrong location, more than 5 kilometers north.
A 911 caller reported gunfire in the area of 1600 S. 56th St. at about 2 a.m., police said. Officers were sent to the 1600 block of North 56th Street and reported no evidence of a shooting, they said.
The case is part of the investigation, the police said.
In a statement Sunday, Krasner said: “The grieving family of the deceased has been made aware of this new information and I cannot express enough the sadness I feel.”
However, he praised the police for getting to the bottom of Wamah’s death.
“Law enforcement must always act with integrity and follow the facts wherever they lead,” he said.
Carriker is expected to appear in court on July 24.
Yasmeen Persaud and Tom Winter contributed.
