ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Allentown authorities are asking the public for help locating two men suspected of shooting an 11-year-old boy on a city street last week.
Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan, in a Thursday news conference, said Renee Jacques Brown Jr. 20, and Jahliel Joseph Branford, 18, both of Allentown, are suspects in the June 13 shooting at North Nagle and Allen Streets.
Holihan said both Brown and Bradford are charged with two first-degree felony counts of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit criminal homicide.
They also face charges of two felony counts of aggravated assault, a third-degree felony count of firearms not to be carried without a license and misdemeanor charges of possession of an instrument of crime and reckless endangerment.
“The charges that have been filed include the fact that there are six victims of recklessly endangering, meaning that there were six people who were fired in the vicinity, who were put at risk of harm by the gunfire,” Holihan said.
“So the one charge of attempted homicide and conspiracy to commit homicide involves the child who was struck. But there were other children, other people in the vicinity where the gunfire took place.
"And yes, there were definitely others there. And that's reflected in the charges that have been filed today.”
Both are considered armed and dangerous, and anyone who may come in contact with either should contact 911 immediately, authorities said.
“We'll continue to listen to the citizens’ input and the input that we get from the community, and we appreciate them coming forward, especially in cases like this.
"And I would say that it's absolutely true that without the cooperation from the community in a case like this, we wouldn't be here today with two warrants, two nationwide warrants for arrest in our hand,” Holihan said.
Nationwide arrest warrants have been issued for Brown and Branford, Holihan said.
Because of the ongoing investigation, the affidavits have been sealed.
“The dedication and promptness of investigators as well as vital information from the community led to us to announce the filing of these charges and the issuing of these arrest warrants,” Holihan said.
He said details on the reports are being limited to protect vital witnesses.
According to authorities, the victim, “K.B.,” was hit in the head by at least one bullet in the afternoon at North Nagle and Allen Streets.
“K.B. remains hospitalized and is receiving care and comfort from doctors, family, friends and loved ones. Based on our investigation, it appears we are confident that K.B. is an innocent victim of this violence,” Holihan said on Thursday.
Officers found spent shell casings from a .22-caliber semi-automatic handgun and a .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun.
Both weapons allegedly were possessed illegally.
The boy was taken to the local hospital for treatment. Assistant Police Chief Michael Becker said the injuries were not life-threatening.
At the time, Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk said the boy was “simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.” He called the boy’s injury “another senseless act of violence.”
The case has been investigated by Allentown Police Detective Robbie Gruber, the Allentown Department Criminal Investigation Division, and the Lehigh County Homicide Task Force, and will be prosecuted by Chief of Prosecutions Patricia Fuentes Mulqueen.
Shortly after the announcement, Rep. Josh Siegel issued a statement commending the authorities and public on their help in the investigation, and calling for justice for “K.B.”
“Allentown’s Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office have once again shown our community and neighborhoods that violence will not go unanswered, and criminals cannot hide in the shadows for long.
"This violence was reckless, brazen and utterly senseless, I thank the community for taking charge of its own safety and working with law enforcement to identify these two criminals,” Siegel said.
“I’m confident these two will be swiftly brought to justice. This summer should be about children playing basketball at our parks, building friendships, and getting to be kids, no parent should have to worry every time their child leaves the house, and no young person should ever have to look over their shoulder in fear,” said Rep. Siegel.
The shooting was the second involving a child in Allentown this year, as three-year-old Elijah Abreu Borgen shot and killed himself in March after finding a handgun under a sofa, according to police.
Borgen’s father, Jose Hilario Abreu, 29, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and two counts of endangering the welfare of children, all felonies.
