4 teens arrested in Camden homicide, shootings, robberies

Camden County authorities said they have apprehended four teenagers in connection with a killing and two nonfatal shootings that occurred during a two-hour span this week.

The county Prosecutor's Office said Friday that Raquan Handon, 18, of Camden; Aaron Swann, 19, of Pennsauken; Ashan Thomas, 19, of Pennsauken; and a 16-year-old Merchantville boy had been charged with felony murder in the death of Terron L. Phillips.

The 19-year-old Camden resident was found shot on the 3500 block of Pierce Street around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. He was taken to Cooper University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:45 a.m.

Prosecutors said the four suspects were robbing Phillips when the 16-year-old, whose name was not released, shot the young man.

Investigators believe those in the group were also responsible for two other armed robberies that night, and charges were pending in those cases, prosecutors said.

The first robbery happened shortly before 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, when three of the suspects approached two people who were in a car on the 1400 block of South Eighth Street in Camden and tried to rob them. One of the suspects, armed with a shotgun, fired once into the vehicle's front window, but did not hit either person, prosecutors said.

Then, a man reported that he was approached by someone with a shotgun who tired to rob him while he was walking near Garden and Fremont Avenues about 12:15 a.m. Wednesday. The suspect fired but missed the victim, authorities said.

Prosecutors said Thomas has been charged with armed robbery in that case and charges against more defendants were pending.

Authorities said the arrests were made in part due to tips from the public after surveillance images were distributed via news and social media.

Handon, Swann, and Thomas are being held at the Camden County Jail, while the 16-year-old is in custody at a juvenile detention facility.