Two held for trial in SEPTA shooting

The final two of six suspects arrested for the brazen, daylight ambush shooting of a SEPTA bus in June were ordered to stand trial yesterday with the others.

Lawrence Rahyle, 18, and Keith Mup Bellamy, 23, were each held for trial on one count of attempted murder, 11 counts of aggravated assault and related charges, by Common Pleas Judge Frank Palumbo.

After the initial preliminary hearing in August, another judge had dismissed all charges against Rahyle and Bellamy, agreeing with their attorneys that the two men had just been standing outside the bus and were not involved in the shooting.

The District Attorney's Office immediately refiled charges, triggering yesterday's hearing.

The June 18 incident was captured on video by seven cameras on the Route 47 bus, which was traveling north on 7th Street shortly before 6 p.m.

The trouble was touched off when a passenger, Lafenus Pickett, accused a stranger, Penny Chapman, of spanking her own toddler son too hard. Police said she then used her cellphone to call a crew of young men, two of whom met the bus with guns.

"Mr. Rahyle and Mr. Bellamy are seen on the scene of the incident gesturing toward the bus, they are seen interacting with the two individuals that had the two firearms," Assistant District Attorney Morgan Vedejs said after the hearing.

None of the 10 passengers nor the bus driver was injured, although they can been seen on video ducking and dodging bullets fired from the street.

Held in August on attempted-murder and related charges were Karon Patterson, 19, who had a rifle; his cousin, Raheen Patterson, 22, who had a handgun; Chapman, 20; and Angel Lecourt, 18, who helped Chapman and her son get off the bus before the shooting.

The six defendants - all still in custody - are scheduled to be tried together in June.