Teen Who Instigated Fanta Bility Shooting Gets Prison Time

SHARON HILL, PA — A teen who helped instigate the deadly 2021 police shooting of 8-year-old Fanta Bility in Sharon Hill was hit with a lengthy prison sentence recently.

Angelo "AJ" Ford, 19, of Sharon Hill, was sentenced to 14 to 28 years in prison last week, according to Action News.

He will also serve eight years of probation following his release from prison, NBC10 reports.

The sentence is tied to the Aug. 27, 2021 shooting outside an Academy Park High School football game. But, his sentence is also tied to his escape from a Western Pennsylvania juvenile detention facility in 2022, as well as assaults, possession of contraband, and other crimes he committed while incarcerated in the county jail, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

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He was captured about a year after his escape.

Ford shot Hassein Strand, of Collingdale, the night of Aug. 27, 2021 outside the football game.

Strand shot back at Ford. Strand later pleaded guilty to aggravated assault for his wounding of a child bystander during the gunfight and illegal possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to three to six years.

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Their shootout is what authorities said led three Sharon Hill Borough Police officers to open fire, which led to the shooting death of Bility.

According to authorities, a witness said they saw Ford on Coates Street just outside the football game as the game ended.

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He was seen was flashing a firearm that was inside his waist band, and he was heard making threats to others on the street. That same witness said Ford began shooting westward toward Ridley Avenue. They also identified a photo of Ford as "AJ" and as the shooter, and said Strand shot back at Ford in the direction of the football field. The witness also identified a photo of Strand as the individual shooting back at Ford and said Strand had a 9 mm Taurus gun.

A second witness told authorities they spoke with Strand after the shooting. According to the witness, Strand said there had been tension inside the football stadium between Ford and Strand's group of friends. Strand told the witness that Ford flashed his gun to Strand as they left the stadium. Strand told the witness he took his brothers to his car and got his firearm before walking back to Ford on Coates Street. Strand told the witness that Ford then shot at Strand who returned fire.

One of the victims told authorities he was standing at the intersection of Coates Street and Kenny Avenue when he observed a large crowd gathering. The victim said a dark-colored vehicle pulled up to the group near the intersection. He heard shots being fired as the vehicle was driving towards him and was struck by a shot to the right side of his body. The victim identified his location at the time he was shot as the sidewalk area on the south side of Coates Street at Kenny Avenue.

Five .45 caliber shell casings were found in front of 909 Coates St. and two 9 mm shell casings were located in front of 919 Coates St.

Both addresses and the recovered casings were located on the south sidewalk of Coates Street between Ridley Avenue and Kenny Avenue. The location of the casings is consistent with the shootout described by the first and second witnesses, with Ford standing near 909 Coates Street with a 45 caliber weapon and Strand standing near 919 Coates Street with a 9 mm weapon. The victim's location and injury are consistent with being struck by bullets fired by Strand toward the football field.