Suspect in murder of Philadelphia teenager arrested outside of Atlanta, police say
PHILADELPHIA - A suspect accused in the November shooting death of a 14-year-old boy was arrested just outside of Atlanta, according to police.
Officers from the Oakwood Police Department said Haneef Roberson was taken into custody on murder and weapons charges.
Roberson and at least two others are being held responsible for the Nov. 29th shooting death of 14-year-old Samir Jefferson in Feltonville.
Investigators believe two suspects got out of a car and chased Jefferson down the street while firing about 35 rounds from two guns.
Jefferson ran a block before collapsing, according to police. He was rushed to Temple University Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
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Days after the deadly shooting, authorities charged 20-year-old Qadir Johnson and 21-year-old Kyair Garnett with murder, conspiracy, VUFA, possession of an instrument of crime, reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence, and related offenses.
Garnett was additionally charged with receipt of stolen property and unauthorized use of automobile.
According to the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, Garnett had an outstanding bench warrant out of Montgomery County at the time of his arrest.
"Unless one of the individuals responsible for that shooting is going to tell us why in the world three twenty-something-year-old individuals would track down and shoot an unarmed and defenseless 14-year-old, we have no specific direction at this point," Deputy Commissioner Ben Naish said of their investigation into a motive.
Deputy Commissioner Naish added that investigators were exploring all options, including social media and a possible fight at Thomas A. Edison High School - where Jefferson was a freshman.
Samir’s mother, Desiree Goodson, tells FOX 29’s Kelly Rule that Samir had sent a recording of a fight to someone on Instagram shortly before he was shot and killed.
"They got all these different people that shoot a 14-year-old kid," Goodson said. "All my son did was play ball, listen to music, and joke. That’s all he did."
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