Arrest made after 15-year-old student gunned down on way to Simon Gratz High School: sources

PHILADELPHIA - An arrest has been made after a 15-year-old student was killed in a fight turned shooting near Simon Gratz High School in 2023, police sources say. 

On March 28, 2023, police say 15-year-old Devin Weedon, was in a physical fight with three male suspects when one pulled a gun and shot him in the chest.

Devin Weedon, a 10th-grader at Simon Gratz, was transported to Temple University Hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Sources tell FOX 29's Steve Keeley that the Philadelphia Police Homicide Fugitive Squad made the first arrest in Devin's murder.

Keeley spoke exclusively with Devin's father, Gary Weedon, about the big news Tuesday night.

"How did you take the news today when we talked to you about somebody getting arrested for your son's murder?" asked Keeley. 

"Oh man, it was a big release. I let it out, man. Stressed out, I cried, I got on my knees, thank you, Jesus. Oh, thank you, God, it's so good, man. People just don't know I've been going through so much since this happened," said Weedon."This news gave me a little piece of hope."

Gary Weedon says police told him they believed the four males seen on surveillance were trying to rob his 15-year-old son Devin as he was walking to Simon Gratz High School Mastery Charter.

"I really don't understand why someone tries to rob or take a life at that time of morning, like 7:30 in the morning. He did not have any money," said the father. "They were shocked, that's what it was. They were more shocked. The reason my son got killed, and I'm telling everybody this, I taught him how to fight and I told all my kids don't fight unless you have to, and it was a situation that he had to fight. He didn't back down, he stood his ground, he kicked their a**. I didn't see the video, everybody tells me he knocked them all down and there were a couple of grown people in it."

Through tears on the telephone, Devin's mother Wytina Burnside told Keeley, "I just wanna know why. I just wanna know why? My son is gone. My son is gone. And finding out there was an arrest is not gonna bring my son back." 

His father, who wore Devin's Gratz football team photo on a heart-shaped pendant, has the same question.

"Why did you kill him? What was the reason? I wanna know why. I wanna know the reason why they killed him. Was it because y'all were embarrassed? Or was it because a 15-year-old boy held his own? I still can't get it. All I wanna ask them is why?"

The LFD on Gary's hat and heart stands for Live For Devin. 

He says his son's murder has made him a better man and a better father to Devin's little sister. Gary goes to schools now to tell Philly kids about what it's like for a parent to lose a great kid, one killed while going to school early that day because he was an honors student who liked to study before classes. 

A great teammate on the football field but a better classmate in school, as Gary lives with this painful question.

"I say to myself every day, if I didn't teach my son how to fight and he would have just got his ass whooped, would he be alive today?"

RELATED COVERAGE: 

• Student, 15, gunned down and killed on way to Simon Gratz High School in Nicetown, police say
• 'Love you mom': A son's last words to his mom before being killed on his way to Philadelphia school
• Officials: 4 suspects sought in connection with fatal shooting of 15-year-old; $30K reward offered
• Family, friends hold emotional vigil for Philadelphia teen fatally shot on his way to school

FOX 29's Kelly Rule previously spoke with Devin's father after the incident,

Gary said his son was an incredible athlete who wanted to get an education and be successful. He says everyone loved Devin, so his family just can not understand why this happened to him. 

"He’s a lovely, funny guy. He’ll make you laugh, he doesn't want any trouble. If you call him a name, he’ll walk away," said Gary. I don’t understand, you go to school to get an education. Now, you can’t go to school to get an education anymore because you’re scared somebody might jump out and rob you."

Devin’s heartbroken parents also previously spoke about him on FOX 29’s Good Day.

"Always there. He called me. He called me that morning," Devin’s mom, Wytina Burnside said. "He said, ‘I love you mom. Have a good day.’ And that was the last thing he said to me."

"He was the type of dude, if you didn’t want to be his friend, you had to be his friend because that’s how much charm he had. You all broke up two families, my family - you took my son’s life. Your family, because if you get caught, you are going to jail," Devin’s dad, Gary Weedon, said.