Violence strikes vigil for 16-year-old in Southwest Philly

The crowd members prayed silently in the darkness, their heads bowed and cheeks wet, as they gathered around a ring of shimmering candles and a heap of teddy bears to remember a 16-year-old boy who was struck and killed by a garbage truck while riding his bike.

Then gunfire erupted, shattering the quiet. Dozens of panic-stricken teens ran in all directions. Someone tripped over a candle, and a stuffed animal caught fire, at the corner of 58th Street and Elmwood Avenue, in Southwest Philly.

Yesterday, a scorched and blackened white teddy bear was the only visible evidence of a shooting that injured four teens and ripped apart a vigil Saturday night for Rodger Stockton, a beloved Bartram High School sophomore who died in a bike accident the day before.

"You send your kids to a vigil so they can say goodbye to their friend, and then you have to worry about them getting shot," said Germaine Stewart, one of Stockton's five sisters. "We were here to celebrate his 16 years of life, and then some other children get hurt. My sympathy goes out to them. I'm really sorry because that's not what they were here for."

Stewart said that as the vigil wrapped up about 9 p.m., she was jolted from her grief and tears by the sound of gunfire.

Apparently, two rival groups - one from 58th and Elmwood, the other from 61st and Elmwood - clashed with one another near the vigil site. Arsenio Snell, a 20-year-old affiliated with the 58th and Elmwood faction, brandished a .40-caliber gun and fired nine shots into a crowd of about 75 people, according to Lt. John Walker of Southwest Detectives.

Stray bullets struck a 15-year-old girl in the buttocks, two 15-year-old boys in the leg and a 14-year-old boy in the hand. Patrol officers arrived and spotted four males hiding behind a wall on Wanamaker Street, a side street off Elmwood. Police arrested Snell, who they said had a .40-caliber "live round in his pocket." Cops found the gun about 50 yards away, Walker said.

Snell faces four counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault and related charges.

The four victims were treated at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and released.

"They were just innocent kids," Walker said. "We think [Snell] just randomly fired at the group. He was just reckless."

Walker said the feud that sparked the shooting was not connected to the vigil.

Stewart, Stockton's sister, said about 250 people attended the vigil and the family was "overwhelmed" by the outpouring of love and support.

"He didn't die a violent death so I don't understand, why bring the violence here?" she said. "I felt that that was really disrespectful to the family."

Police say Stockton's death was an accident. He was riding his bike with a friend after school about 3:30 p.m. Friday. Stockton crossed at the intersection of 58th and Elmwood, apparently not looking, and a privately owned garbage truck struck him. The driver of the truck faces no charges.

Stewart described her brother as a jokester who liked to make people laugh and was never in any trouble, except for blowing curfew or leaving dirty dishes in the sink.

"He had a million-dollar smile," she said. "You'd think you're mad at him and then he'd suck his teeth and smile and you couldn't be mad at him. How could you be mad at that smile!"