Final accused Roxborough High shooter is arrested after jumping from a four-story building

A 16-year-old wanted for two murders and who police say was part of a group that sprayed dozens of bullets outside Roxborough High School last fall, killing a 14-year-old and injuring four other teens, was arrested Monday after more than a year on the run, police said.

U.S. Marshals tracked Dayron Burney-Thorn to an apartment building on the 200 block of West Walnut Lane in Germantown, said agency spokesperson Robert Clark. When agents knocked on the door just before 2 p.m., Burney-Thorn answered, Clark said, and then asked for a moment to put on some clothes.

But as agents entered the home, he said, Burney-Thorn ran to an open window and jumped out — from four stories up.

Additional agents were waiting for him on the ground, Clark said. He was injured by the jump but is conscious, and his injuries appear to be in his legs, Clark said. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment, and will be charged with homicide and related crimes.

Burney-Thorn was the fifth and final suspect of the high-profile shooting who remained at large. Four others were arrested in the weeks after: Yaaseen Bivins, 21; Saleem Miller, 16; Troy Fletcher, 15, and Zyhied Jones, 17. A sixth person, presumably the getaway driver, has not been identified.

» READ MORE: Why the accused Roxborough gunman was out on bail at the time of the shooting, despite his conviction for another crime

The group is accused of driving to Roxborough High School from North Philadelphia the afternoon of Sept. 27, 2022. They sat outside the school’s football field, where hundreds of parents, students, and players gathered for a scrimmage, and waited for the teams to finish the game.

Just as the Roxborough players crossed the road to head into the locker room, police say, the four shooters jumped out and unleashed more than 60 shots into the crowd.

Nicolas Elizalde, 14, was struck in the chest and died in his mother’s arms. Four other teens, ages 14 to 17, were injured. One boy was shot nine times but survived.

Police have said they believe the shooters were retaliating for an earlier shooting, and that at least one of the victims was targeted. Elizalde was not a target and was struck by a stray bullet, police said.

The shooting devastated the community, prompting professional athletes and young students alike to condemn the violence and ask where, if not at school and sports venues, Philadelphia’s children could be safe from gun violence. Elizalde was a kindhearted, thoughtful boy who loved sports, animals, and watching movies with his mother, friends said. He was a freshman at Walter B. Saul High School and cared deeply about issues affecting the community.

Meredith Elizalde said she prays every day that her son’s killers be brought to justice.

“He has ruined countless lives, including his own, by taking Nick’s life,” she said. “We have an uphill battle to save our youth, no one has the luxury of sitting on the sidelines.”

But the reality, she said, is that his apprehension doesn’t change much “for my new reality.”

“Nick is still gone. I’m still a childless mother. And in these few hours since he has been caught, unfortunately I cannot say that I feel better,” she said.

Burney-Thorn was also wanted for a second murder — the killing of 19-year-old Tahmir Jones — a crime that police say he, Fletcher, and Jones committed just the day before opening fire outside Roxborough High.

The three ambushed Tahmir Jones — who is not related to Zyhied Jones — outside his North Philadelphia home on Sept. 26, 2022 and shot him more than 20 times. The motive behind the shooting wasn’t known, police said at the time. Jones was a loving child enrolled in a YouthBuild construction apprenticeship program, his mother said. He had no criminal record, according to police.

Detectives used DNA evidence, surveillance footage, and cell phone and GPS location data to tie the young men to the crimes.

Tahmir Jones’ mother, Theresa Guyton, gasped when told Monday that her son’s alleged killer had been caught. The last year has been filled with traumatic stress and grief, she said, and the news brought a moment of relief.

“I can sleep a little better knowing he’s off the streets,” she said.

Her family was forced to move after the shooting, she said, and bounced between hotels and temporary rentals before finally finding a new home in August, almost a year later, she said. Now her new goal is to find therapy for her son’s 4-year-old nephew, whom he cared for like a son before his death and who is shattered by his absence.

“He sees a picture and says that’s his dad. He knows and misses his presence,” she said. “We all do.”