A serene evening on the Philadelphia streets turned into a horrifying nightmare as the night passed. Nothing is more terrifying for Americans than the first sound of a shot; it is an unnerving indication of an ensuing massacre.
Gun Violence Archive statistics show that just the first half of 2023 recorded more than 200 mass shooting cases and counting (unfortunately). 2021 saw a peak of 690 mass shootings– more than four people were killed and several injured. According to the latest updates from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 48,830 people died from gun-related injuries in 2021.
These rampant massacres call for a national emergency before more innocent lives are stolen from their loved ones.
Just a couple of months back, Texas mourned innocent victims of mass shootings; we discussed the gun laws in America.
And here we are again, witnessing a disturbing truth about mental illness and gun violence.
Philadelphia Shooting Explained
July 3, Monday, 8:30 p.m., Kingsessing neighborhood: The street of 56th block of Chester Avenue and Belmar Terrace in the SouthWestern area saw usual pedestrian activity; people minding their own business. Suddenly, the entire block came to a pause at the sound of a loud bang. No one could comprehend what would follow as chaos ensued with 50 more gunshots.
Lurking in the shadows before, a silhouette emerged, walking down the lane with a gun, shooting randomly at people and vehicles.
While the shooter was firing haywire, the brother of one of the victims picked up a licensed handgun (legally possessed by the victim) and started firing at Carriker. He shot seven times, none of which hit Carriker. The brother was later taken into custody but was released of all charges, citing self-defense.
JEEP INCIDENT: The armed person shot multiple times at an arbitrary Jeep Cherokee consisting of five people.
People immediately called 911 during the active shooting, and law enforcement was dispatched instantly. One of the police officers sprung into the jeep and drove them to a safe area.
The suspect began running, but after a grueling chase, police were able to nab the person in a rear alley of 1600 Frazier Street. The preliminary inspection recorded the following observation on the shooter:
- Wore a bulletproof vest and a ski mask
- Had multiple magazines
- Had a police scanner
- Possessed AR-style Rifle
- Also had a 9mm handgun, which police later recorded as a ‘ghost gun,’ considering there was no serial number on the firearm.
The District Attorney stated on Wednesday that–
“More than 60 spent .223-caliber shell casings and nine 9 mm shell casings have been found.”
Philadelphia Shooting: Victims
During the random shooting on the street, five people were killed due to multiple gunshots. They have been since identified as follows–
- Daujan Brown (15) died saving his 13-year-old brother.
- Lashyd Merritt (22)– His mother Marie told the reporters that he loved his job, girlfriend, and nieces and nephews–“You didn’t have to ask him to get anything for Christmas. This man would just have it. (The kids) would say, ‘Shyd! Shyd! Shyd!’ They are going to miss all of that.”
- Dymir Stanton (29) lived at the 1700 block of S. Frazier St.
- Joseph Wamah, Jr. (31), A skilled sketch artist, was found several hours after the shooting by the police. His sister, Josephine Wamah, said, “I’m going to miss that beautiful smile, I really am. He had the best hugs, he took care of his family.”
- Ralph Moralis (59) was excited to walk his daughter down the aisle at her wedding next week.
The jeep consisted of five people:
- A 33-year-old woman was injured due to shattered glass from the gunshot.
- One of her 2-year-old twins was also injured due to the glass.
- The other twin was shot in the leg.
- A 13-year-old boy was also shot.
- Another 10-year-old boy is reported to be injured.
Thanks to the cop who drove them away, everyone was saved in the Jeep.
Friends and family of victims remember them with an interfaith prayer vigil on Wednesday night at the Salt and Light Church in Kingsessing.
Philadelphia Shooter: Who Is Kimbrady Carriker?
The suspect has been identified as 40-year-old Kimbrady Carriker. According to reports, Carriker lived in a house just a few blocks down from the shooting site with seven other people.
Assistant District Attorney Robert Wainwright stated that the investigators found a will in his handwriting dated June 23. They also found a .380-caliber handgun and .223-caliber ammunition.
The interrogation with the roommates revealed that Carriker had shown intense agitation in behavior for the past few days. Kimbrady was also seen trying on the bulletproof vest multiple times before the ill-fated day.
After investigating a plethora of social media posts and recorded statements from roommates and family, these are some of the observations on Carriker–
- Kimbrady dressed up in a bra and woman’s top and wore earrings. Now there is an online debate about whether Carriker is categorized as a cross-dresser or a trans person. However, there is no confirmation yet.
- Carriker is the eldest of 5 children, including four brothers and a sister. His grandmother told The Independent that he was close to his siblings and mother, Kim.
- Some reports suggest that Carriker was a BLM activist. But they were later denied, as Carriker only expressed his support on social media for the BLM movement during the George Floyd case and never participated in activism.
- One tweet that summarizes Carriker’s profile– “According to their FB, Kimbrady Carriker was a trump supporter & advocate for guns. Also, the ex-girlfriend referred to the shooter as he/him. No evidence they identified as trans. Anyone can wear a dress. But even if they did, that’s 0.1% of the mass shooting pop.” However, this is just an exhibit. There is no confirmation of identity yet.
Carriker was charged with 11 total offenses on the first Wednesday hearing, with several counts on each. He is also facing charges for the following–
- Attempted murder
- Reckless endangerment
- Aggravated assault
- Carrying a firearm without a valid permit.
LATEST UPDATE:
Kimbrady Carriker claims that he conducted the massacre with the intention of curbing gun violence in Philadelphia.
Clearly, Carriker is giving polarising and contradictory statements, and there is a need for expert psychoanalysis.
What are your thoughts on this case? Do you think the underlying context is mental illness? Are the fickle gun laws to blame? Let us know your opinions in the comments section below.
We at Averagebing pay our respects to all the victims of the heinous crime.
