Police identify suspects in shooting of grandfather, 5 year old

Detectives on Thursday identified three young men wanted as suspects in a shooting last weekend that seriously wounded a man and also injured his 5-year-old grandson.

Authorities are searching for 21-year-old Antwan Grimes, 22-year-old Keon Smith and 19-year-old Amir Johnson in connection with the incident, which occurred at around 5:45 p.m. Saturday on the 6100 block of Passyunk Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia.

The boy’s father, who not injured, told officers he was driving when someone in a car behind him began firing, police said. He pulled into a gas station, and the gunmen continued shooting, according to investigators. The motive for the attack remains unknown, police said.

A 71-year-old man, the child’s grandfather, was shot once in his back and hospitalized in critical condition, according to police. The boy received a graze wound to his shoulder and was treated for nonlife-threatening injuries.

The suspects’ vehicle was found a short time later about a mile away on the 6100 block of Buist Avenue. Investigators said the car, a white Kia, had a Florida license plate and had been reported stolen from Philadelphia International Airport.

Detectives have been investigating a spree of robberies targeting rental car companies located at the airport.

Grimes and Smith are both on probation, having separately pleaded guilty to resisting arrest and gun violations last year, according to court records.

Anyone with information about the suspects is asked to contact the PPD’s Special Investigations Group at 215-686-8270 or call 215-686-8477.