Boys' Latin student, 16, dies after Easter shooting on South Street

A Boys' Latin of Philadelphia High School sophomore who was shot Easter Sunday during a dispute between two groups of youths on South Street has died, police said Thursday.

William Bethel, 16, of Roxborough, died at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital at 11:40 p.m. Tuesday after being shot about 5:55 p.m. Sunday while outside on the 800 block of South Street, in Bella Vista, police said. He had been taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound to his left pelvis.

Noah Tennant, chief executive officer of the West Philadelphia charter school, said that "scores and scores of students" showed up Thursday to mourn Bethel even though the school was on spring break — "an indication of how special of a kid he was."

One teacher told Tennant about another sophomore who had been excluded by other students but was accepted by Bethel. "Once he gave his stamp of approval, it prompted others to open their arms as well," Tennant said.

Police Homicide Capt. John Ryan said Thursday that there was "some kind of small fight or argument between two groups of people," on the south sidewalk on South Street involving about four teenage boys in each group, he said.

Ryan said the dispute apparently stemmed from a South Philadelphia neighborhood feud. Bethel had friends in South Philly, he said.

"One side's armed and doing something stupid, and it speaks to the gun issue in society," the homicide captain said, calling Bethel's death "senseless."

Police had not recovered a gun and no arrest had been reported as of Thursday evening, but Ryan said homicide detectives were "making progress" on the investigation.

Tennant said that he went to the hospital Tuesday and spent time with Bethel's parents, describing them as a "loving, warm family."

"At that point, they were very faithful," he said. "They were very steady, leaning on one another."

Bethel was part of the school's inaugural middle-school class that started in fall 2013, Tennant said. In a school announcement, officials said: "Bill was loved and respected by his peers and teachers. He was full of kindness and had a magnetic spirit. He was a leader with a warm heart and gentle smile."

Bethel was a scholar athlete who was on the honor roll and participated in boxing, football, and basketball, the school said.

The sophomore was the second Boys' Latin student to die from gun violence this school year, Tennant said. Jahsun Patton, an 18-year-old senior, was fatally shot in Harrisburg over Thanksgiving weekend. Derrick Lorenzo Butler, 30, was arrested and charged with murder in that case.