A young man is set to spend at least four decades behind bars for his role in a pair of fatal shootings, including the 2022 killing of a 14-year-old football player outside Roxborough High School.
Zaakir McClendon, 21, pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree murder in April, and a judge sentenced him Friday to a combined 40 to 80 years in prison for the separate homicides of two teenagers.
McClendon was the sixth and final suspect arrested in connection to the shooting at Roxborough High. After he was arrested in an unrelated firearms case last year, investigators matched his DNA to evidence found on fired cartridge casings recovered from the scene, police said.
On the afternoon Sept. 27, 2022, a group of gunmen hopped out of a car and fired more than 60 bullets at youth who were leaving a high school football scrimmage. Nicolas Elizalde, who police have said was not the target of the attack, was struck in the chest and died from his injuries. Four other teens were wounded in the attack.
Seven months later, in April 2023, McClendon participated in the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Nafis Bertrand-Hill in North Philadelphia. Two other suspects were also arrested and charged in the case.
"We can only hope that the family and friends of Nicolas and Nafis will find some solace with this outcome,” District Attorney Larry Krasner said in a statement. “And while convictions won’t bring back Nicolas and Nafis or heal the physical and psychological scars endured by those who were injured in these heinous acts, my office will continue to support the co-victims of these senseless tragedies.”
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