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'He was respectful with me': Kimbrady Carriker's grandmother talks of man accused in mass shooting

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Published  July 5, 2023 5:53pm EDT
Philadelphia
FOX 29 Philadelphia

Kimbrady Carriker: Grandmother talks of her grandson

A woman who identified herself as 40-year-old Carriker’s grandmother spoke about her grandson who is accused of killing five innocent people in a mass shooting, according to police. Like herself, she says Carriker’s parents are also in shock.

SOUTHWEST PHILADELPHIA - Kimbrady Carriker is the man suspected of killing five people Monday night in Philadelphia and injuring several more. He is facing a long list of charges.

A woman who identified herself as 40-year-old Carriker’s grandmother spoke with FOX 29 on the condition that her face and her name are not identified.

Her grandson is accused of killing five innocent people in a mass shooting, according to police. Like herself, she says Carriker’s parents are also in shock.

"He didn’t come off like that. You see him one way and then you see something like that and it’s not connecting, so they’re devastated," the woman explained. "They want to know what happened, why. Everyone wants to know in the family."

Carriker was arraigned via video conference Wednesday morning on 10 sets of charges for 10 victims. The five who were murdered and the others wounded by gunfire or injured during the chaos.

He only spoke when answering "Yes" to a few basic questions.

Police say Carriker was arrested wearing a ski mask and bulletbproof vest, armed with an AR-style rifle and handgun after opening fire, seemingly at random, in the area of 56th and Chester Streets, around 8:30 Monday night.

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Officials say Carriker was convicted of a misdemeanor in 2005 that does not prohibit him from owning a gun. But, he was not licensed to carry.

Carriker’s grandmom says he told her he carried a gun for protection. "He said everybody should have one. I said, ‘No, not in my house.’ I never seen the gun he had. He just told me he had it."

"Was he angry about anything? Did he express that he was upset about anything?" FOX 29’s Kelly Rule asked.

"No, no I haven’t seen him for two months and that was unusual," the grandmother replied.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said a handwritten will dated June 23rd was found at Carriker’s home and people who lived with Carriker told his office it was normal for him to keep guns in the house and wear the vest, but he was becoming more and more agitated recently.

A neighbor told FOX 29 that he met Carriker last week. "Brought him to my crib, I met him, but he looked like he was fine. Wasn’t nothing wrong with him. Completely normal. He told me he was a town watchman around here. You know, yeah, he said he was a town watchman. I was like, ‘Alright.’"

Carriker’s grandmother says she never heard that directly from her grandson. "That’s what I heard from the streets. I’m telling you, that’s a whole different ball game for me. I didn’t know none of that stuff. It’s a whole new ball game. He was a respectful young man with me."