A Philadelphia teenager is facing murder charges in three homicides this year
Arshad Curry has been charged with killing two teenage friends in West Philadelphia in July, then fatally shooting another 19-year-old less than two months later.
A West Philadelphia teenager is facing three counts of murder after police say he fatally shot two teenagers this summer, then killed another teen less than two months later.
Arshad Curry, 19, was charged this week with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in connection with a July 21 shooting in which police said he fired into a stopped car, killing Tommie Frazier, 18, and Kaylin Jahad Johnson, 16, and wounding another 16-year-old. Curry also faces a host of weapons charges.
Investigators believe the two teenage friends, who were killed in broad daylight near the intersection of 56th and Vine Streets, were on their way to basketball practice and were not the intended targets. The triple shooting rocked West Philadelphia, where Frazier and Johnson grew up.
Frazier was enrolled at Simon Gratz High School, and Johnson was heading into his junior year at Boys’ Latin Charter School.
Detectives tied Curry to the shooting after interviewing a man who said an associate with the nickname “Most Wanted” — now believed to be Curry — told him he shot the victims. According to court papers, investigators believe Curry followed the teens from school and, using a handgun, fired into the car when it was stopped at a red light.
Investigators found 17 shell casings at the scene. Frazier and Johnson were struck multiple times.
Curry was taken into custody Sept. 16, shortly after police said he pumped bullets into a Port Richmond home from the street just past 8 p.m., hitting Sidney Sessoms, 19, in the face. Sessoms was taken to the hospital and died shortly after. A 49-year-old man was also wounded in the gunfire.
Police said two officers chased after Curry, who then fired toward them. The officers were not injured. Curry was charged with murder, attempted murder, and two counts of attempted murder of a police officer in connection with that incident, records show.
A preliminary hearing in that case is scheduled for next week. Curry’s attorneys didn’t respond to calls seeking comment.
He is being held without bail at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility.