Philadelphia Police issued an arrest warrant Monday for a man wanted in the shooting death of a teenager over the weekend. Police are looking for 22-year-old Sergio Santiago. According to investigators, Santiago shot and killed his 17-year-old friend Antonio Florez in the Spring Garden section of Philadelphia. NBC10’s Denise Nakano talked to the victim’s mother, who says she wants justice.
Police are on the hunt for a man accused of shooting and killing a teenage boy who was like a brother to him, according to the victim's family.
Police issued an arrest warrant for 22-year-old Sergio Santiago on Monday.
Santiago allegedly shot and killed 17-year-old Antonio Flores Sunday afternoon in the Spring Garden section of the city and then ran off with the gun.
"He[[Flores]] looked up to him[[Santiago]]," said Janine O'Donnell, the victim's aunt. "If anyone else out there thinks he's a friend of theirs, he can easily turn on anyone."
Flores was found with a gunshot wound in the head on the third floor of an apartment at 1616 Wallace Street in the Spring Garden section of the city.
Medics rushed Flores to Hahnemann University Hospital where he later died.
The circumstances of the shooting remained under investigation later Sunday but homicide detectives did say that it was possible that someone was playing with a gun.
Monday night, police announced that Santiago was a suspect in the shooting and issued a warrant for his arrest.
"I never thought he would harm my son," said Antonia Flores, the victim's mother.
According to the family, Santiago was a friend and mentor of the victim.
"I can't believe he would do that to my son and I don't believe he would run away and my son was in that building all by himself until someone found him," Flores said.
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According to investigators, Santiago is known to frequent the area of 17th and Wallace streets. They continue to search for him.
"I want justice for my son," Flores said. "I want him to be put away for a long time because he took the life of a 17-year-old boy who doesn't mess with anybody and who has love for everybody."
If you have any information on Santiago's whereabouts, please call Philadelphia Police.
