12 young people charged for roles in over a dozen crimes, including homicide, officials announced

CENTER CITY - Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and Police Commissioner Kevin announced charges for 12 people who are said to be involved with the homicide of a juvenile, along with 12 other non-fatal shootings and other violent crimes from 2021 to 2023.

Officials said they are associated with street gangs still active in South Philadelphia.

What we know:

"These are kids. These are young people doing horrific things," DA Krasner stated.

All of the kids are locked up and being held on bail as high as $12.5 million.

By the numbers:

The accusations include:

• Murder
• 26 people injured in non-fatal shootings
• Carjackings

What they're saying:

Police say shootings are being committed by members of three rival gangs, with members as young as Little League baseball teams.

Assistant District Attorney William Fritze said, "The shooters are getting younger. The shootings are no longer neighborhood-based. And the guns that they're using are from the illicit gun trade, the straw purchasing and trafficking we've been fighting against."

Jayvon Solomon is 16 and was sought by police for a shooting when he was just 14, two years ago, on the 700 block of Jackson Street. Philly Police report Solomon turned himself into the PPD Shooting Investigation Group early Saturday morning.

Just one of many mapped out on a long list of shootings that began four years ago in an almost non-stop retaliation mini-war that these kids saw as a kids game, a veteran detective pointed out.

"A lot of these young kids think it's a game," Philadelphia Police Detective Kelley Gallagher said. "On social media, they compare it to a basketball game and how that works is for every shooting victim they say they have a point. Honestly, it's just a game to them."

Dig deeper:

And, it’s game over for many of those arrested. They may not see the outside for a long, long time, with astronomical bails set in proportion to the mayhem they’re all charged with.

Eli Simmons, now 19, is charged with shooting 16 people in nine different shootings, starting when he was 15. Prosecutors say they’d brag about being in a gang called The Senders and it was the killings, shootings and videos that helped lead to their own identification and arrests.

Assistant District Attorney Adam Ferraye explained, "The Senders used a model or slogan in many of their music videos, raps and other social media posts. That slogan was, "If you want to join The Senders, get a body. Then you gang with us."

Big picture view:

"31 victims. We can not lose sight of that. 31 victims. There’s a 2-year-old victim," DA Krasner said. "Can you imagine the amount of trauma served on those blocks? Those neighborhoods? Those families? It’s disastrous. It’s catastrophic."