Two boys, aged 16 and 18, are charged with murder in the death of an eight-year-old girl killed by police gunfire at a Philadelphia high school football game
- Alfredo 'AJ' Ford, 16, and Hasein Strand, 18, charged with first-degree murder, five counts of attempted murder, assault and endangerment, and gun charges
- Ford is being held without bond and Strand is being sought
- Ford and Strand allegedly opened fire on one another on August 27 outside a high school football game in Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania
- Police officers who responded to shooting opened fire and almost certainly fired shots that killed 8-year-old Fanta Bility
- Shooting left four others wounded, including Fanta's older sister
- Fanta's family in October filed a federal lawsuit against the officers, arguing that they were improperly trained
Two teenagers were charged with murder in the death of an 8-year-old girl who was shot and killed by police officers outside a high school football game near Philadelphia over the summer.
Alfredo 'AJ' Ford, 16, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with first-degree murder, five counts of attempted murder, five counts of assault and endangerment, and additional weapons charges in connection with the killing of Fanta Bility.
Strand, 18, from Collingdale, has been charged with the same counts as Ford and was being sought by police. Four people were wounded in the incident and Bility later died in a hospital.
District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said Ford and Strand argued at the August 27 game between Pennsbury and Academy Park high schools, and then 'exchanged multiple gunshots with each other' outside as spectators were leaving the game.
Authorities have said that three Sharon Hill officers were positioned opposite the exit, and as the gunfire broke out, a car turned onto the street directly in front of the them.
The gunfire and the movement of the vehicle 'precipitated responsive gunfire' from the officers, who thought the shooting was coming from the car. Ballistics analysis 'concluded with near certainty' that their fire hit four of the five victims, including the 8-year-old girl, Stollsteimer said earlier.
Alfredo 'AJ' Ford, 16 (left), has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the August killing of 8-year-old Fanta Bility (right)
Fanta was almost certainly killed by police officers responding to a shootout between Ford and Hasein Strand, 18, outside a football game at Academy Park High School in Sharon Hill
Four other people were struck by gunfire, among them Fanta's older sister
Fanta was struck once in the back and was pronounced dead at the hospital. Her older sister was wounded by gunfire but survived. Final forensic reports are pending.
'Under the laws of this commonwealth, my office has determined that (the defendants) should both be held criminally liable for the murder of Fanta Bility, as well as for the wounding of all of the bystanders,' Stollsteimer said.
Speaking of Ford and Strand, Stollsteimer said: 'they were attempting to kill one another that night, and as a direct result a little girl is dead.'
He added that an investigative grand jury would be seated on November 18 to 'review the entire case, so that it may be determined whether the police officers’ use of deadly force was justified.' The panel will hear testimony, and determine if charges are warranted.
Fanta (left and right) was hit once in the back. She was pronounced dead at a hospital
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Sharon Hill has hired a former Philadelphia district attorney to conduct an administrative review of the department’s policies and procedures on police use of deadly force.
In late October, Bility's family filed a federal lawsuit against the police officers who most likely fired the shots that killed Fanta, arguing that they were improperly trained and shot with the 'intent to kill.'
The cops - John Scanlan, III and Devon Smith and a third unnamed officer - were all placed on paid administrative leave after the shooting.
Smith joined the Sharon Hill department in 2015 and was promoted to full-time patrolman in 2017, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. It is unclear when Scanlan joined, but he once received a certificate of merit for saving an elderly man in a wheelchair from a house fire.
It is also unclear who fired the bullet that struck Bility in the back and killed her.
The lawsuit accuses the officers and police department of excessive force; failure to train; state created danger; unconstitutional policy, practice or custom; assault and battery; wrongful death; and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
Bility's family are asking for at least $400,000 plus punitive damages and attorneys' fees and costs.
Attorney Bruce Castor, who is representing the girl's family, applauded the decision to bring murder charges against the teenage suspects but said it would be difficult to prove.
Fanta's mother (right) in October filed a federal lawsuit against the Sharon Hill police officers who opened fire, claiming they were improperly trained
'I want the focus to remain on the Sharon Hill police officers whose negligent and reckless behavior in reacting as they did is what killed Fanta Bility,' he told the Philadelphia Inquirer. 'From the point of view of the Bility family, these officers killed Fanta, and they need to be held accountable for that, and those responsible for their supervision and training need to be held accountable for that.
Ford is being held at George W. Hill Correctional Facility without bond.
