Loved ones gathered to honor 22-year-old Kristopher Minners, a Residential Advisor at Girard College who was one of two innocent bystanders killed in the South Street mass shooting. NBC10’s Brian Sheehan spoke with Minners’ friends and family members.
EDITOR'S NOTE (2 p.m., June 6, 2022): New details and developments in the mass shooting on South Street that left three dead and 11 others wounded can be found in this story.
Three people were killed and at least 11 others were wounded when gunmen opened fire on a crowded stretch of South Street in Philadelphia late Saturday night.
Philadelphia Police Department Commissioner Danielle Outlaw identified the deceased victims as 34-year-old Gregory Jackson of Philadelphia, 24-year-old Alexis Quinn of Philadelphia, and 22-year-old Kristopher Minners of Elkins Park.
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Quinn and Minners were innocent bystanders while police said Jackson was killed after he attacked and shot another man who fired back at him.
Kristopher Minners
The American Federation of Teachers said Minners was a resident advisor for 6th and 2nd grade boys at Girard College.
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Minners had been celebrating his birthday with family and friends on South Street prior to the shooting, according to Girard College's Interim President James Turner.
"Our hearts are broken for Kristopher and his family, and our thoughts are with everyone who was impacted by this appalling act of violence," Turner wrote in a statement. "I visited with Kris’ parents this morning and the College will continue to offer them every support."
Monday night, Minners' friends and family gathered and released balloons in his memory. Keith Selby, Minners' father, told NBC10 his son loved his job at Girard College.
“Kristopher, like I’ve mentioned, loves everyone," Selby said. "And that’s why he wanted to have a job that was in serving. He loves to serve. And he cares so much. He was so proud of being an RA here.”
Selby told NBC10 he wanted to see changes in the wake of his son's murder.
"Stiffer penalties for crimes. Stiffer penalties for crime, that’s about it," Selby said.
Minners' brother, Marcus Dukes, had a message for the people responsible for his brother's death.
“The people that did it? I forgive them. I honestly do," Dukes said. "I know the culture. I know where we grew up at. It sounds foolish but it’s cool to be a thug in our area and they didn’t know what they were doing. They’re kids.”
Alexis Quinn
Alexis Quinn's mother said she planned to come over Sunday. They were to have Alexis's favorite food, oxtails. Tina Quinn said her daughter, or her "mini-me," also loved making TikTok videos, watching the television show "Friends," and joking with her.
"The scary part is that when she left, it felt like half of me left with her," Tina said.
Alexis told her mom she didn't feel up to going out Saturday night, but ended up heading out with two of her friends. Tina said she had an odd feeling throughout the night. Then, around 2 a.m., the phone call came.
“I just want this gun violence to end,” Tina said softly. “I never would think of all these years that it would be my daughter.”
The 11 shooting victims who survived were a 17-year-old boy; two 18-year-old men; two 20-year-old men; three men aged 23, 43 and 69; two 17-year-old girls; and a 19-year-old woman. Their medical conditions ranged from stable to critical, Outlaw said.
An assistant district attorney, Joanne Pescatore, said on Monday that Jackson, one of the three people killed, was involved in the initial fight that led to bullets flying chaotically on South Street.
Pescatore also said an 18-year-old man shot by police allegedly was a secondary actor to the initial brawl involving Jackson and another gunshot victim, Micah Towns. It is unclear if that 18-year-old, identified as Quran Garner, is among those 11 people listed by police as wounded in the shooting.
Towns has not been charged. Both he and Jackson had licenses to carry firearms, Pescatore said.
Rashaan Vereen, a friend of Jackson's, was also arrested Monday evening in connection to the shooting. Officials said Vereen helped Jackson attack Towns during the initial incident.
A 49-year-old old woman also suffered injuries after being struck by shattered glass, police said.
One of the gunshot survivors was 69-year-old Rusty Crowell. The South Philly resident told NBC10 he was at the bar Dobbs on South to see a friend perform when he stepped outside shortly before midnight and heard the gunshots.
"I thought everybody's having a good time. It's fireworks," Crowell said. "But then I looked down at my leg and there was blood just gushing down the back of my leg."
Crowell told NBC10 he was lucky to be alive and grateful for the support he's received from his community.
Well we are the city of Brotherly Love and that's what I see," Crowell said. "And it gets you. They're good people, Philadelphia."
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
