November 13, 2015
Philadelphia police announced the arrest of two suspects Friday in the murder of 16-year-old Saleem West, who was fatally shot in a hail of gunfire Nov. 1 in the Strawberry Mansion section of the city.
The shooting occurred as West and another teen rode their bicycles along the 2200 block of West Sedgley Avenue on a Sunday afternoon around 4:40 p.m. The teens reportedly got into an altercation with four males driving a silver Buick. The vehicle then trailed them for a period before two of its passengers stepped out and stood near the trunk.
West and his friend attempted to flee the scene, but the suspects fired a total of 17 shots in their direction. West, a student at Philadelphia Charter High School, was fatally shot in the back. The second teen was able to escape unharmed.
Police have arrested two teen suspects in connection with the shooting, according to CBS 3. One of them reportedly made a statement admitting to the killing. The shooting may also be linked to as many as four other murders in the neighborhood, possibly driven by a rivalry between two groups of teens.
Each suspect has both been charged with murder.
