YORK, Pa. — Officials announced criminal homicide charges in connection to the 2021 shooting death of 20-year-old Justin Griffith at Cousler Park in York.
York County District Attorney Dave Sunday was joined by members of the Northern York County Regional Police while announcing charges after a grand jury investigation into the shooting.
On Thursday morning, officials announced that 19-year-old Elijah Penn, of York, had been arrested and charged with criminal homicide, attempted homicide, and aggravated assault, among other related charges for his role in the shooting.
According to police, on July 5, 2021, around 9:00 p.m., Griffith was one of two people who were shot at Cousler Park in the 1000 block of Church Road in Manchester Township.
Griffith was taken to York Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The other victim, a 21-year-old man, survived.
Justin Griffith's mother, Chawna, says her son was at Cousler Park in Manchester Township on July 5, to play basketball with a friend.
“I would say that if given the opportunity to do that day again, I don’t think he would’ve done it differently, because Justin didn’t turn his back on a friend, no matter what his situation was," said Chawna Griffith.
“They found 20-year-old Justin Griffith critically injured and lying on the parking lot," said David Lash, the chief of police for the Northern York County Regional Police Department.
Sunday says this incident was a gang-related act of violence.
“The targets and Justin Griffith in particular, was not a target that day and as outlined in the presentment, there were many, many shots fired, by Elijah Penn, that resulted in Justin Griffith being shot in the back," said Sunday.
With an arrest finally made, Justin's mom says she can finally take a breath for the first time in months.
“Justin was everything to me, he was my first child, he was the leader of the pack, he was somebody I [could] lean on, because he was just that great of a person. He meant so much to us," said Griffith.
She says she knows Justin is with her everywhere she goes.
“This was Justin’s necklace, when he purchased it, he never took it off. The coroner took it off of him and gave it to me and I've never taken it off since," said Griffith.
Penn was taken to the York County Booking Center for arraignment.
You can watch the full press conference here.
