16-Year-Old Charged In 2 Philadelphia Killings, Other Shootings: DA

PHILADELPHIA — A 16-year-old boy has been charged for his role in multiple homicides and non-fatal shooting incidents that occurred in August, the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office said Friday.

Aidan Waters, 16, was charged with two counts of murder, six counts of attempted murder, eight counts of aggravated assault, nine counts of various firearm violations, and related crimes.

Authorities said Waters is a member of a street group known as Fastbreak.

On the evening of Aug. 18, Waters and a co-conspirator opened fire from a vehicle on a 43-year-old male and a 14-year-old male near the 500 block of Sentner Street, the DA's office said.

Surveillance video obtained by investigators captured the assailants' vehicle, a gray Hyundai Sonata. Investigators also recovered 16 7.62 fired cartridge casings (FCC), often connected with the firing of an assault rifle, and nine 9mm FCCs.

Early on the morning of Aug. 19, Waters was involved in a double shooting on the 200 block of East Duncannon Avenue that resulted in the murder of 16-year-old Marquise Sanders and the wounding of five other individuals, according to authorities.

Surveillance video obtained by investigators again captured the same vehicle used in the Sentner Street shooting. Additional 9mm FCCs were also recovered from the shooting scene.

The Hyundai Sonata, which police determined was stolen, was found torched later that morning, the DA's office said.

On the afternoon of Aug. 23, 25-year-old Abdul Vicks, a Philadelphia rap artist and head of a loosely organized street group known as the Young Bag Chasers, was fatally shot inside a vehicle on the 100 block of West Olney Avenue.

Video of the murder was widely-circulated on social media.

Later that afternoon, the Philadelphia Fire Department responded to a report of a vehicle fire on the 6500 block of North 15th Street. Firefighters found several FCCs inside the Kia Sportage and notified law enforcement.

Later that week, a search warrant was executed for the vehicle, which was reported stolen in Cheltenham Township over a week prior to the murder. Multiple DNA swabs were recovered from the vehicle, as well as fingerprints, two 7.62 FCCs, one 9mm FCC, and one unfired 9mm cartridge.

During the course of the investigation, Philadelphia Police Detectives came across information which led to a search warrant of Waters's residence. Several firearms and related gear were recovered in the course of the search, the DA's office said.

Through forensic examinations, surveillance videos, and witness statements, investigators were able to link Waters to these shootings, according to authorities.

"I applaud the extremely thorough investigation conducted by the Philadelphia Police Department, as well as the additional investigation done by members of the Gun Violence Task Force," Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said. "I also strongly urge parents across the city to check your children's bedrooms, bookbags, and other locations. Help us get guns off the street and out of our children's lives. We all must work together to ensure that our youth aren't going down the wrong path."