Sgt. O’Connor might still be alive if authorities had acted sooner, says mother of another victim | Jenice Armstrong

The family of Tyrone Tyree Jr. is doubly sad right now.

For starters, they are still mourning Tyree’s slaying a year ago.

But they also are mourning the tragic death of Philadelphia Police Sgt. James O’Connor IV, who was killed in a barrage of bullets as authorities attempted to serve a warrant on Hassan Elliott, who was wanted in Tyree’s killing.

“We’re trying to figure out what we can do for that family," said Ashley Bowman, Tyree’s big sister. “My mom really feels some kind of way that the cop got killed trying to serve a warrant on the man who killed my brother.”

Although they’re relieved that a suspect has finally been apprehended, they remain frustrated that it took so long for authorities to make an arrest.

» READ MORE: U.S. Attorney William McSwain slams DA Larry Krasner over fatal shooting of Cpl. James O’Connor IV

I talked to one relative around a year ago who had reached out to complain about how long it was taking to make an arrest. I remember thinking, Oh, they’ll get to it soon. I was wrong.

“They kept saying, ‘We’re looking for him,’” Dionne Bowman, Tyree’s mother, told me on Wednesday.

But weeks turned into months. And months turned into a year as the family’s frustration grew.

“If they would have gotten right on them guys [after Tyree’s killing], that officer would be living right now today,” Bowman told me.

I asked Capt. Sekou Kinebrew, a police spokesperson, about her theory, but he said, “It would be inappropriate to enter the realm of speculation" as the investigations and prosecutions of both tragedies are ongoing.

The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office also declined further comment on the case.

As for Tyree, he was a happy go-lucky guy, the second oldest of 12 kids. (According to his mother, he was named after his father, Tyrone Tyree Sr., who died two weeks before he did. Various media reports and authorities have reversed the order of his name.)

During his 33 years, Tyree made mistakes, but his family says he had turned his life around. At the time of his death last year, he was working for Amazon in packaging, and dreamed of making it big as a rapper. Relatives believe he may have been targeted for his income tax refund — his first ever — and told police as much after he was killed on March 1, 2019.

His relatives’ criticism of the handling of his case echoes that of U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain, who has criticized District Attorney Larry Krasner’s office for not seeking to more aggressively prosecute Elliott over an open drug-possession case hours before he allegedly killed Tyree.

Earlier that day, Elliott had attended a court hearing, where he was scheduled for trial later that month and released.

» READ MORE: Philly SWAT officer, 46, is fatally shot while trying to serve a warrant in Frankford

“After leaving his pretrial status listing, he allegedly murdered Tyree ... on the 5300 block of Duffield Street,” McSwain said in a statement. “Elliott and another man, both armed with handguns, approached [Tyree], who was sitting in his car, and allegedly opened fire at close range. Video showed Elliott fleeing the scene and his fingerprints were found on one of the alleged murder weapons.”

The District Attorney’s Office approved warrants for his arrest on March 26, 2019. Elliott was a no-show for his court date on drug charges the following day.

“Despite his absence, and the outstanding murder warrant, the District Attorney’s Office withdrew the cocaine case against Elliott, citing prosecutorial discretion,” McSwain said. “Elliott then remained at large until the murder of ... O’Connor. These facts paint a damning picture of a prosecutor’s office that prioritizes ‘decarceration’ of violent offenders over public safety.’”

Bowman doesn’t blame Krasner. In fact, she credits him with speeding things up after meeting him at Relish restaurant in February and informing him about the lack of progress in her son’s case.

Finger-pointing aside, one thing is perfectly clear: No arrests were made in Tyree’s case until last week, when O’Connor was fatally wounded.

Now, two men are dead. Two families are grieving. And we as a community mourn along with them.