Man who shot 18-year-old at East Germantown rec center turns himself in, police say
Anthony T. Smith, 23, shot the teen at the Lonnie Young playground, police say. The shooting happened as neighbors concerned about a shooting at another rec center had gathered to talk about safety.
A 23-year-old man who police say shot an 18 year old in the chest at an East Germantown recreation center, leaving him in critical condition, turned himself in to police Thursday morning.
Anthony T. Smith, 23, surrendered at 12:30 a.m., less than a day after U.S. Marshals announced on X they were joining the search for Smith, police said.
Smith shot the teen twice in the chest outside the Lonnie Young Recreation Center on the 1100 block of East Chelten Avenue, police said. He faces charges of aggravated and related crimes,
At the time of the shooting. U.S. Marshals said, Smith was out on bail for a 2023 shooting in Eastwick.
Gunfire erupted at the playground near the rec center just after 5:40 p.m. April 1, police said. After the victim was found with gunshot wounds, he was taken to Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital.
A weapon was recovered and police found 11 9mm shell casings at the scene.
The shooting broke out as dozens of concerned residents gathered nearby to talk about safety after an earlier shooting at a rec center in East Mount Airy. Hundreds of people packed the Finley Recreation Center to speak to state, city and law enforcement officials about a shooting that left three teens injured there days earlier.
On March 29, shots rang out at the Finley center, on the 900 block of East Upsal Street, after an argument between two groups of young people turned violent, police said.
Police released security video showing the shooting at the Finley Recreation Center and have asked the public for help in identifying the gunman.