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Teen charged as adult in Rittenhouse Square shooting

Police have identified 17-year-old Mehdi Fraiji as the gunman who allegedly shot a Good Samaritan last week in Rittenhouse Square.

Police have identified Mehdi Fraiji, 17, as the gunman who allegedly shot a Good Samaritan last Tuesday in Rittenhouse Square.
Police have identified Mehdi Fraiji, 17, as the gunman who allegedly shot a Good Samaritan last Tuesday in Rittenhouse Square.Read more(Photo from Philadelphia Police Department)

Police have identified 17-year-old Mehdi Fraiji as the gunman who allegedly shot a Good Samaritan last week in Rittenhouse Square.

Fraiji, of the 900 block of South 15th Street, has been charged as an adult with attempted murder, aggravated assault, robbery, firearms violations, and related offenses. Police said he turned himself in Saturday at the Central Detective Division.

According to police, Fraiji and a coconspirator - who has not been identified or apprehended - tried to rob a 22-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman in the park about 9:30 p.m. Oct. 18. Fraiji knew both victims, police said.

A 39-year-old bicyclist who sells bottled water in the park saw the robbery and tried to intervene, but Fraiji allegedly took a gun from his coconspirator and shot the cyclist five times in his shoulder and stomach, police said.

The cyclist survived the shooting and was most recently listed in stable condition at Hahnemann University Hospital. A police spokeswoman could not immediately say if he remained hospitalized Tuesday.

After the shooting, the offenders ran toward 19th and Walnut Streets without taking anything. The man and woman were not injured and remained in the park to talk to police.

Authorities said the couple gave them Fraiji's nickname. Police executed a search warrant on his house the next day and spoke with his parents, but did not immediately locate Fraiji.

farrs@phillynews.com

215-854-4225 @FarFarrAway