PHILADELPHIA — A fifth suspect has been charged in a shooting that wounded eight Philadelphia high school students at a bus stop earlier this month.
Jeremiah Jefferson, 15, of Philadelphia, faces counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault, conspiracy, reckless endangerment and weapons charges, city police announced Thursday. They said the teen was in communication with the shooters before the gunfire erupted and also identified and provided information about some potential targets, as well as noting what he was wearing so he himself did not become a victim. He also notified the shooters when the intended victims were walking toward the bus, police said.
It wasn’t immediately known Thursday if Jefferson has retained an attorney.
The March 6 shooting occurred 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, police have said. 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. Jermahd Carter, 19, was also arrested last week. Asir Boone, 17, was taken into custody Tuesday at an apartment in Alexandria, Virginia. They said he had been hiding there with an unidentified woman who has ties to Philadelphia.
Tucker and Buggs, both 18, also face charges including attempted murder, aggravated assault, and other counts and are being held on more than $2 million bail.
Lawyers for the four suspects have declined comment. A motive for the shooting remains under investigation.
