Shootings in Southwest Philadelphia Motivated by Belief in Divine Intervention

Shooter Claims Rampage Was Attempt to Address Gun Violence Crisis, Sources Say

The shooter accused of killing five people during a harrowing rampage in Southwest Philadelphia on Monday night told police the shooting spree was an attempt to help authorities address the city’s gun violence crisis, and that God would be sending more people to help, according to sources familiar with the investigation.

The assertions by Kimbrady Carriker were made to police in the hours after Carriker was arrested while wearing body armor and a ski mask and carrying an assault rifle and ghost gun on the 1600 block of South Frazier Street, said the sources, who requested anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation.

Carriker first told responding officers who made the arrest that they had done a good job, the sources said. Carriker then told them the gunfire — which spanned several blocks and struck people, including children, who had no apparent connection to one another — was an attempt to help police because “all these guys are out there killing people,” the sources said.

Carriker later told detectives that Yahweh, a Hebrew name for God, would be sending more people to help, the sources said. He then declined to provide further information to investigators.

Some of Carriker’s roommates, meanwhile, told detectives Carriker had been increasingly agitated recently — routinely wearing a bulletproof vest, carrying a gun, and screaming inside his house. One of the roommates described Carriker as a “biblical extremist” who also believed people should assist police in protecting their neighborhoods, sources said. And a neighbor of one of the people Carriker killed said she saw a video of him screaming battle cries during his rampage.

In addition, officials said at a news conference that Carriker had written a will last month, which police found when they searched his house on the 5600 block of Belmar Terrace after his arrest. Prosecutors declined to specify what the document said, but Assistant District Attorney Joanne Pescatore said: “Obviously this person was exhibiting abnormal behavior for quite awhile.”

The details offered new insight into Philadelphia’s deadliest shooting in decades, a crime that frightened residents, stunned city officials, and attracted national attention over a holiday because of its brazen and seemingly random nature. The revelations emerged not long after Carriker, 40, was arraigned on five counts of first-degree murder and related charges.

Carriker was held without bail and was being represented by the Defender Association of Philadelphia, which did not reply to a request for comment. Additional charges include attempted murder, aggravated assault, and illegal gun possession.

The crime came as other cities across the country — including Fort Worth and Baltimore — experienced similarly violent episodes around the holiday. In Philadelphia, the case led to outraged calls for new gun laws from some of the city’s elected officials, including Democratic State Sen. Sharif Street, who noted Wednesday that he made a similar plea almost exactly two years ago, after one of his nephews was shot and killed at a July 4 cookout in West Philadelphia.

Street said Republicans — who control the state Senate and are just one seat shy of a majority in the House — have repeatedly declined to approve such proposals, including so-called “red flag laws,” which allow authorities to take guns from people deemed to be a threat to themselves or others.

Mayor Jim Kenney’s administration on Wednesday announced that the city had sued two manufacturers of parts and kits for “ghost guns,” which are untraceable and increasingly prevalent firearms that can be purchased without background checks and assembled at home — and which Carriker was allegedly carrying during his crime spree. The litigation was planned before Monday’s shooting, Kenney said, but turned out to be auspiciously timed.

“The root of the problem is the proliferation of guns in our city and our country,” Kenney said. “Guns are the common denominator in every single shooting.”

Relatives of the victims, meanwhile, were still processing the shock and trauma of the unexpected burst of violence, which killed and wounded people simply trying to go about their lives.

“I don’t understand how someone could just do that to my brother,” said Josephine Wamah, the sister of 31-year-old Joseph Wamah Jr., who was shot at his house on the 1600 block of South 56th Street. “He was gorgeous inside and out.”

Omar Brown, an uncle of several children who were injured when Carriker allegedly began firing at their car, said the family — including twin 2-year-old boys — is recovering physically, but still struggling mentally.

“They’re traumatized,” Brown said.

Indiscriminate gunfire

The incident began shortly before 8:30 p.m. Monday, when police received a call that a man was shooting on the 1600 block of South 56th Street.

Before pulling the trigger, Carriker had stood in the middle of the street screaming, said neighbor Glenda Drew, who said she watched a neighbor’s video footage of the incident.

“Hoorah!” Carriker screamed, according to Drew. “It’s time to go to war.”

Joseph Wamah Jr. went outside to see what was going on, Drew said his family told her. But he was met by Carriker, who chased him back into his house, and shot him multiple times.

Carriker then continued across 56th Street, police said, shooting at random civilians.

As a 33-year-old woman was driving her two toddlers and young niece down the street, police say Carriker started firing at her car. She tried to accelerate and get out of the way, according to law enforcement sources, but Carriker continued shooting until she was out of sight around the corner.

Police and law enforcement sources gave this account of what happened next:

The 2-year-old in the backseat was shot multiple times in the legs, and his mother and twin brother were cut by chards of glass.

The woman immediately flagged down a female police officer, who jumped into the woman’s Jeep and drove the family to the hospital. As they sped away, they could still hear gunshots in the distance — as Carriker continued on his rampage

Carriker trudged more than three blocks across 56th Street, from Springfield to Greenway Avenues, firing dozens of shots along the way. Between Springfield and Chester alone, he fired more than 40 shots, shooting anything in sight.

Two young teens tried to run, but both were shot and collapsed behind a tree, at 56th and Chester. A 13-year-old boy was shot in the leg, and his best friend — Da’Juan Brown, 15 — later died from his injuries.

Officers located another shooting victim at 56th and Greenway, but then civilians flagged them down — the shooter had looped back south, and was shooting on Frazier Street.

Dymir Stenton, 29, and his brothers, who live there, heard the shots and ran out to see how they could help. But Carriker — using a gun with a laser — then fatally shot Stenton. Stenton’s brother shot back at Carriker in self defense with a legally registered gun, but did not strike him, prosecutors said. He was temporarily detained by police but was released and is not expected to face charges.

After that, an officer walked down an alley off Frazier Street, and while shining his flashlight, saw a pair of legs. Carriker was lying on the ground, a pistol and automatic rifle at his side, sources said, waiting for officers to take him into custody.

Warning signs?

During the arrest, sources said, Carriker told the officers he was trying to help them because of the number of shooters on the streets.

Then, after he was taken to the Homicide Unit for questioning, sources said, he told detectives he wasShooter Claims Rampage Was Attempt to Address Gun Violence Crisis, Sources Say

In a shocking revelation, the shooter accused of killing five people during a rampage in Southwest Philadelphia on Monday night claimed that his actions were an attempt to help authorities address the city’s gun violence crisis. According to sources familiar with the investigation, Kimbrady Carriker told police that he believed God would be sending more people to assist in the effort.

Carriker’s assertions were made to police shortly after his arrest, during which he was found wearing body armor and a ski mask and carrying an assault rifle and ghost gun. The sources, who requested anonymity, stated that Carriker initially praised the responding officers for their work and then explained that the indiscriminate gunfire was his way of assisting the police in combating the violence perpetrated by others.

The shooter’s roommates also provided insight into his mindset, describing him as a “biblical extremist” who believed that people should assist the police in protecting their neighborhoods. They reported that Carriker had been increasingly agitated in recent days, frequently wearing a bulletproof vest, carrying a gun, and screaming inside the house. A neighbor of one of the victims also claimed to have seen a video of Carriker screaming battle cries during the rampage.

Officials revealed that Carriker had written a will last month, which was discovered during a search of his house. While the contents of the document were not disclosed, Assistant District Attorney Joanne Pescatore stated that it indicated Carriker had been exhibiting abnormal behavior for some time.

The details surrounding the shooting spree have left residents and city officials stunned. Philadelphia’s deadliest shooting in decades has sparked calls for new gun laws from elected officials, including State Sen. Sharif Street, who had previously made a similar plea after the death of his nephew in a shooting two years ago. However, Republicans, who hold the majority in the state Senate, have consistently rejected such proposals.

In response to the incident, Mayor Jim Kenney’s administration announced that the city has filed a lawsuit against two manufacturers of parts and kits for “ghost guns.” These untraceable firearms, which can be assembled at home without background checks, were allegedly carried by Carriker during the shooting spree.

Relatives of the victims are still grappling with the shock and trauma caused by the senseless

Weapons used in the shooting. What is the rationale behind this lawsuit?

Ources, who requested anonymity, also revealed that Carriker had expressed satisfaction with the responding officers’ work and claimed that the shooting spree was intended to aid law enforcement in dealing with the issue of rampant gun violence in the city.

Carriker’s roommates provided additional information, describing him as increasingly agitated and exhibiting signs of being a “biblical extremist.” They mentioned his habit of wearing a bulletproof vest, carrying a gun, and loudly yelling inside the house. In fact, a neighbor of one of the victims reported witnessing a video of Carriker screaming battle cries during his rampage.

Furthermore, investigators discovered that Carriker had written a will last month, although the content of the document was not disclosed. Assistant District Attorney Joanne Pescatore remarked that Carriker had displayed abnormal behavior for quite some time.

These revelations shed light on the motivations behind the deadliest shooting in Philadelphia in recent memory. The incident was met with shock and fear from residents, leading to renewed calls for stricter gun laws from local officials. Democratic State Sen. Sharif Street, who had advocated for such measures in the past, expressed frustration with the Republican-controlled legislature’s refusal to support these proposals.

In response to the shooting, Mayor Jim Kenney’s administration announced a lawsuit against two manufacturers of parts and