Three men were sentenced to life in prison for killing two Philadelphia teenagers in an ambush shooting back in 2021.
On Monday, Nov. 18, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner announced Rayfiq Tiggle, 25, Tariq Chambers, 23, and Isaiah Jones, 22, were each convicted of murder, conspiracy to commit murder and other related offenses for killing 17-year-old Nasir Brooks and 18-year-old Steven Griffin.
"I'm grateful to the Philadelphia Police Department for their work on this case," Assistant District Attorney Sean Perez said. "And while this conviction cannot bring Nasir Brooks and Steven Griffin back to life, I hope that these convictions bring some solace to their families."
On June 11, 2021, Tiggle, Chambers and Jones all entered Chambers’ girlfriend’s white Nissan Altima and drove to the intersection of 55th and Arch streets. When they arrived, they watched as Brooks and Griffin walked past the vehicle. Tiggle and Jones then exited the car, pulled out their guns and opened fire, shooting at Brooks and Griffin 16 times.
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Both teens were struck by gunfire, collapsed on the street and died from their wounds shortly after. The three suspects fled the scene.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
After receiving a tip from a witness, Philadelphia police found the white Altima within 20 minutes on the 4900 block of Olive Street. Investigators also obtained video from a witness of the three suspects walking toward a home located around the corner where they parked the car and the address matched the vehicle’s registration.
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Cellphone location data also placed Tiggle, Chambers and Jones in the area at the time of the murders. All three men were arrested in December 2022.
On Nov. 15, 2024, Tiggle, Chambers and Jones were all sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole as well as an additional 20 to 40 years each for conspiracy.
"Thanks to the Philadelphia Police Department for their very thorough investigation and to Assistant District Attorney Sean Perez for his skillful prosecution of this difficult case, these three defendants no longer pose a threat to the community," said DA Krasner. "And while the homicide rate continues to plummet in Philly, we cannot let our foot off of the gas. My office will continue to work with our law enforcement and community partners to ensure that we are doing everything we can in terms of enforcement and prevention so that we can save more lives from the scourge of gun violence."
