Gunmen, car tied to two shootings in North Philadelphia

North Philadelphia
Suspects in a homicide that occurred on N. 13th Street are shown.
Philadelphia Police

Police are hoping to identify a group of men believed to be involved in a pair of shootings last month in North Philadelphia that killed a teenager and wounded an 8-year-old girl.

The same vehicle — a newer, dark-colored Nissan Altima with a paper license plate — was caught on surveillance video from both incidents, investigators said. Authorities released clips from the footage Wednesday.

On Sept. 26, three gunmen, wearing masks and latex gloves, got out of the car and fired around 36 shots at close range toward 19-year-old Tahmir Jones, who was sitting on the front steps of his house on the 600 block of N. 13th Street, police said.

The shooting occurred in broad daylight, at 2 p.m., and Jones suffered more than 20 gunshot wounds. He died a short time later at Jefferson University Hospital. Video shows the suspects running back to the car, where the driver was waiting.

Earlier that week, on Sept. 22, at around 8:45 p.m., five gunmen exited the Nissan and unloaded 46 bullets on the 1500 block of N. 13th Street, authorities said. A 23-year-old man was shot in the leg, and an 8-year-old girl was grazed in the head.

In the video published by police, the suspects appear to be firing toward a passing car.

Anyone with information about the shootings or the gunmen is asked to contact the PPD’s Homicide Unit at 215-686-3334/3335; call or text 215-686-8477; or go to www.phillypolice.com/forms/submit-a-tip.

The city offers a $20,000 reward for tips that lead to an arrest and conviction in a murder case.