Fifteen suspected gang members have been charged for terrorizing a North Philadelphia neighborhood with gunfire and perpetuating street violence in what the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office called an "ongoing feud and gun battle."
D.A. Seth Williams on Thursday announced the charges against the men, which stemmed from incidents including nine shootings, one of which was deadly, in a four-month span between February and June of 2014. Williams said the arrests were a result of a lengthy investigation conducted by his office and the Attorney General's joint Gun Violence Task Force and an investigating grand jury.
Williams said the men, who he said identify as members of a gang known as "TNT" -- for 10th and Thompson streets in North Philadelphia -- "terrorized citizens of North Philadelphia's neighborhoods, literally having gun battles right outside their front doors, for months."
The incidents the gang members' charges stem from, the D.A. says, include:
- A Feb. 15, 2014 shooting outside One Tre Bar at 13th and Cambria streets
- Two shootings within a block of each other on Feb. 19, 2015 on Park Avenue near Lehigh Avenue and Somerset Street, during one of which at least 26 shots were fired from three different guns
- A Feb. 27, 2014 shooting at Ridge Avenue and 18th Street in which eight shots were fired from two different guns
- A March 1, 2014 shooting at 9th and Thompson streets in which at least 24 shots were fired from four different guns
- A March 6, 2014 shooting on 13th Street near Cambria in which at least 33 shots were fired from four different guns
- A shooting on Stiles Street near 11th and a firearm-possession arrest related to the same incident March 20, 2014
- A shooting at 13th and Cambria streets May 27, 2014 in which at least 14 shots were fired
- A gun homicide outside the Galaxy Bar at Germantown and Rising Sun avenues on June 22, 2014
A number of gun-possession arrests -- some of which led to investigators finding guns that matched ballistics from the shootings -- also played a role in the investigation, the D.A.'s office said.
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Rashad Holcomb, 27, is facing the most serious list of charges, including murder, conspiracy, illegal gun possession and possession of an instrument of crime. Also charged with murder and conspiracy are 26-year-old Curshawn Banks and 34-year-old Evette Brooks.
Charged with attempted murder, criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault, illegal gun possession and possession of an instrument of crime is 26-year-old Maurice Muldrow.
Both Christopher McClutchen, 23, and Hamin Williams Jr., 19, are charged with criminal conspiracy and illegal gun possession, while Samir Akines, 31, Amir Crippen, 21, Kareem Grant, 25, Rashad Hall, 21, Vincent McClenney, 28, Gregory Nash, 27, Tyreese Scott, 28, Ali Williams, 29, and Hamin Williams Sr., 37, are all charged with criminal conspiracy.
The D.A.'s office credited the gang members' self-identification via tattoos, clothing and their social media accounts with helping them close in on the group.
One of the tweets, released by prosecutors, reads: "We both was down homicide we ain't say a word! #NoTelling #Militant."
