Philadelphia shooting : Possible motive emerges as suspect’s disturbing posts before attack revealed

Suspect in Kingsessing shooting was charged with five counts of murder during preliminary arraignment on Wednesday

Philadelphia mass shooting leaves 4 dead, 2 injured: Police

The man accused of killing five people in a mass shooting in the Kingsessing neighbourhood on Monday evening, left “disturbing messages” on social media before carrying out one of several US mass shootings that marred the Fourth of July weekend.

The suspect, identified as 40-year-old Kimbrady Carriker, appeared on Wednesday in Philadelphia County Municipal Court for arraignment on five counts of murder and other charges related to the shooting, which appeared to be random.

Law enforcement officers revealed to CNN that Carriker told them in sum that he carried out the shooting to “clean up the neighbourhood.”

The shooting unfolded at around 8.30pm on Monday when the suspected assailant, dressed in a bullet-proof vest and ski mask and armed with an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun, “wreaked havoc, firing with a rifle at their victims seemingly at random”.

Five people were killed in the attack: Lashyd Merritt, 22; Dymir Stanton, 29; Ralph Moralis, 59; Joseph Wamah Jr, 31, and Daujan Brown, 15.

Two children – aged two and 13 – were also injured by gunfire but are in stable condition. The two-year-old’s twin and a 33-year-old woman were also injured via broken glass.

Key points

• Kimbrady Carriker posted ‘disturbing messages’ online before Fourth of July attack
• Suspect appears in court for arraignment on five counts of murder
• Five victims identified, including 15-year-old boy
• Shooter wore bulletproof vest and armed with two firearms
• City mayor says suspect had a ‘stockpile’ of weapons

[5 July 2023 09:48 · Rachel Sharp]

Suspected shooter to appear in court today for arraignment

The suspect accused of killing five victims in a mass shooting in the Kingsessing neighbourhood of Philadelphia on the eve of July 4 is set to appear in court on Wednesday to be arraigned on murder charge.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner announced on Tuesday that the 40-year-old accused shooter is facing charges of murder, aggravated assault and weapons offences.

Authorities are yet to publicly name the shooter.

[5 July 2023 10:30 · Rachel Sharp]

Philadelphia father killed in mass shooting was supposed to walk daughter down aisle at wedding days later

A Philadelphia father who was killed in Monday’s horror mass shooting was supposed to walk his daughter down the aisle at her wedding in a matter of days.

Ralph Moralis, 59, was one of the five victims killed on the eve of July 4 when a shooter dressed in a ski mask and bullet-proof vest stalked the streets of the Kingsessing neighbourhood gunning down victims.

Moralis’ former partner Tamika Veney said that the 59-year-old was a family man who was looking forward to his eldest daughter’s wedding this weekend.

Instead, his family will now be left to plan his funeral.

“He did well by his family. He was a regular dude, a good person. He’s really going to be missed,” she told the Philadelphia Inquirer.

[5 July 2023 10:50 · Gunfire was erupting as police tended to victims]

Gunfire was erupting as police tended to victims

Philadelphia police said that the suspected shooter was still firing ammunition when officers responded to the scene where multiple people were injured.

“When officers responded they did identify and find some gunshot victims as they were scooping up the victims and preparing them for transport to the hospital, they also heard multiple gunshots,” Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said in a press conference on Monday.

Officers tended to the victims to try and rush them to the hospital while pursuing the suspect on foot.

Eventually, police chased the possible suspect and found them in an alleyway where they were apprehended.

[5 July 2023 11:10 · Ariana Baio]

Police release second suspect

Police said the second person who was brought into custody after the deadly shooting on Monday has been released.

Authorities in the Philadelphia Police Department detained a second individual who they said returned fire after a shooter aimlessly shot around the Kingsessing neighbourhood killing five people and injuring two.

But after some preliminary investigation, law enforcement said that the second person was released after they determined they did not unlawfully use a gun to protect themself from the shooting.

[5 July 2023 11:30 · Ariana Baio]

Five adults dead and two children wounded: What we know about mass shooting in Philadelphia

Seven people, including two children, were shot in a mass shooting that took place in a residential neighbourhood of Philadelphia on Monday evening.

Just hours before Fourth of July celebrations were set to take place, police responded to calls of gunfire where they found multiple gunshot victims and approximately 50 shell casings.

The Independent reports:

[5 July 2023 11:50 · Ariana Baio]

Suspected shooter fired “aimlessly”

The suspected shooter who killed five people and injured two other children during a mass shooting on Monday evening, shot “aimlessly”, according to police.

Police commissioner Danielle Outlaw called the incident “abhorrent” and “horrifying” as she described the chaotic scene that police were called to when shots were fired.

Commanding officer of the homicide unit Ernest Ransom said that the suspected shooter was armed with an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun as well as body armour, magazines and a ski mask when they began shooting at random.

Seven people were shot as they were going about their evening.

“None of the victims engaged the suspect or were aware,” Mr Ransom said.

[5 July 2023 12:10 · Rachel Sharp]

WATCH: Vigils held for victims of Philadelphia mass shooting

[5 July 2023 12:30 · Rachel Sharp]

Philadelphia father was supposed to walk daughter down aisle days after he was killed in mass shooting

A Philadelphia father was supposed to walk his daughter down the aisle at her wedding just days after he was killed in Monday’s horror mass shooting.

Ralph Moralis, 59, was one of the five victims killed on the eve of July 4 when a shooter dressed in a ski mask and bullet-proof vest stalked the streets of the Kingsessing neighbourhood gunning down victims.

Moralis’ former partner Tamika Veney described the 59-year-old as a family man who was looking forward to his eldest daughter’s wedding this weekend and was going to walk her down the aisle at the nuptials.

Read the full story here:

[5 July 2023 12:50 · Rachel Sharp]

America’s gun violence in numbers

So far in 2023, 340 mass shootings have taken place across America, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

This means this year is on track to record 679 mass shootings – the highest number since 2014.

This would also be a 61 percent increase from the 417 recorded in 2019, the year before Covid-19 ravaged the nation.

[5 July 2023 13:10 · Rachel Sharp]

Over in the nation’s capital: Nine victims injured in drive-by shooting in Washington DC

Nine people, including two children, have been injured in a “targeted” drive-by shooting in Washington DC while the nation’s capital was celebrating the July 4 holiday.

The DC Metropolitan Police Department said that residents were enjoying Independence Day festivities on Meade Street in the northeast area of the city when someone in a dark SUV drove opened fire on them at around 1am ET.

Assistant Chief Leslie Parsons said in an early morning press conference that the dark-coloured SUV was driving through the area when it suddenly “stopped and it fired shots in the direction of some of our residents that were outside, just celebrating the fourth of July”.

Read the full story: