Cops: Teens face attempted murder for shooting 10 in dancing crowd

To shoot just one man, Tyrell Broadnax, 19, and Quadir Burley, 18, blasted 27 shots into a crowd of about 30 people — including women and children — who were dancing outside on May 20 at the corner of 23rd and Huntingdon Streets in North Philadelphia, police said.

Authorities initially reported that nine people were injured in the mass shooting, but at a news conference announcing Broadnax and Burley's arrest Monday, authorities said they identified a 10th victim while investigating the case. The victims, including the intended target, ranged in age from 17 to 25. The nine men and one woman all survived their injuries.

"Both of them were well aware they were shooting into a pack of women and children," said Central Detectives Capt. Frank Banford. "What kind of guy does that?"

Banford said the teens were targeting just one man, with whom they had an ongoing argument that may have begun more than a year ago. Banford declined to detail the nature of that argument, except to say it was "stupid."

The alleged shooters took the opportunity of the neighborhood celebration with music and dancing to target the man, according to police. When the victim saw Broadnax and Burley across the street from the celebration, he ran into the crowd in an attempt to seek cover, but it did nothing to stop the gunfire, Banford said.

"They didn't care who they hit and they didn't care what collateral damage was done," he said.

Joining Banford at the news conference was Commissioner Richard Ross, who called the shooting "a very brazen and callous act of violence."

"It is absolutely idiotic, but sadly it just mirrors what we see almost every day," Ross said.

Broadnax, of the 900 block of West Arizona Street in North Philadelphia, turned himself to police Monday with the assistance of his father, Banford said. Burley, of the 1500 block of West Lehigh Avenue in North Philadelphia, is currently in Montgomery County Prison on unrelated charges and will be formally charged in the Philadelphia case Tuesday, Banford said. Both teens face 10 counts of attempted murder.

Ross said the investigation that led police to the teen shooters was "absolutely remarkable." Banford credited the hard work of detectives and witnesses who were brave enough to speak up.

"Whenever you're in a neighborhood that's low income and [where] a lot of crime occurs, [residents] have concerns for their own safety, and I would too," Banford said. "But in this instance, we were able to get cooperation."

The victims' injuries ranged from minor to severe. Police were afraid that one victim who was shot in his abdomen might not survive, but he is on the road to recovery, Banford said. One victim in his 20s, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he was shot four times.

"The more I kept running, the more I kept getting shot at," he said.

Despite the carnage, there was little outcry in the wake of the shooting. But at Monday's news conference, Ross took the opportunity to ask citizens to volunteer with anti-violence initiatives and to call police with information before violence happens, so it can be prevented.

"I've got to tell you, it's extremely frustrating to see this stuff day in and day out," Ross said. "But we will remain vigilant in what we do."