PHILADELPHIA — Authorities are calling on last person sought in the shooting that wounded eight Philadelphia high school students at a bus stop last week to turn himself in.
The U.S. Marshals Service, while offering details Tuesday night on the arrest of a third suspect, called on the fourth person to surrender by Wednesday morning, vowing to “aggressively pursue him with every investigative resource available.”
Federal marshals said the third suspect, 19-year-old Jermahd Carter, had been arrested Tuesday afternoon at a relative’s home. Carter faces charges including attempted murder, aggravated assault, firearms and related counts, with a preliminary hearing slated March 27. His attorney declined comment on the charges Wednesday.
On Monday officials had announced the arrests of two 18-year-old suspects in the March 6 shooting in northeast Philadelphia, the fourth shooting in four days involving the city’s transit system.
As students at Northeast High School, the city’s largest public high school with more than 3,000 students, were waiting to board the bus, three masked people opened fire, hitting eight teens ranging in age from 15 to 17 years old. All were later listed in stable condition, including a 16-year-old initially said to be critically injured after being hit nine times.
Officials said the recovery of a stolen car involved in the shooting led to the identification of Jamaal Tucker as a suspect, and he turned himself in Friday. On Saturday, federal marshals said they arrested Ahnile Buggs and recovered a loaded and fully automatic .40-caliber Glock that matched casings found at the scene.
Tucker and Buggs also face charges including attempted murder, aggravated assault, and other counts and are being held on more than $2 million bail with preliminary hearings scheduled for March 20. A message was left Monday with Buggs’ attorney. The Defender Association of Philadelphia, representing Tucker, declined comment.
Police were investigating whether the shooting may have been related to the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old charter school student as people boarded a city bus. Four others were injured, including a 70-year-old woman.
Earlier last week, gunfire that erupted at a bus stop in a different part of the city killed a teenager and wounding two other teens as well as two women on a bus. Two men were also killed in different shootings after arguments on buses ended in gunfire.
Police in Philadelphia are currently on the hunt for the last suspect involved in a deadly bus shooting that took place earlier this week. The shooting, which occurred on a crowded city bus, left one person dead and several others injured.
According to authorities, the incident took place on Tuesday evening when a group of individuals boarded the bus and began arguing with another passenger. The altercation quickly escalated into violence, with one of the suspects pulling out a gun and opening fire.
The chaos that ensued left passengers scrambling for cover as bullets flew through the bus, striking multiple people. One victim, a 25-year-old man, was fatally wounded in the attack. Several others were rushed to nearby hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police were able to quickly apprehend three of the suspects involved in the shooting, but one remains at large. Authorities have released a description of the suspect and are urging anyone with information on their whereabouts to come forward.
The incident has left residents of Philadelphia shocked and saddened, as violence on public transportation is a rare occurrence in the city. Mayor Jim Kenney issued a statement condemning the shooting and calling for justice to be served for the victims.
In response to the shooting, police have increased patrols on public transportation routes and are working to ensure the safety of passengers. The incident has also sparked conversations about gun violence and the need for stricter gun control measures in the city.
As the search for the last suspect continues, residents are being urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to authorities. The Philadelphia Police Department is working tirelessly to bring all those responsible for this senseless act of violence to justice.
