Bowling alley shooting getaway driver admits lying

A Delaware County man faces a couple years of court supervision for what prosecutors alleged was effectuating the escape of another man who was involved in a fatal shooting at an East Norriton bowling alley and for omitting details to detectives during the investigation.

Raymir Daquone Johnson, 21, of the 200 block of North Wyncombe Avenue, Lansdowne, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to two years of probation after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of tampering with evidence in connection with the Feb. 20, 2021, incident at the Our Town Alley bowling lanes that claimed the life of Frank Wade.

Judge Virgil B. Walker imposed the sentence as part of a plea agreement.

In court documents to support the charge, detectives alleged Johnson “did provide transportation to Jamel Barnwell to effect his escape after the murder coupled with the fact that he omitted details and provided false information to detectives during the course of this investigation.”

A charge of hindering apprehension was dismissed against Johnson as part of the plea agreement.

Barnwell, now 19, of the 100 block of Beverly Avenue, East Lansdowne, previously was sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to charges of third-degree murder and aggravated assault in connection with the fatal shooting at the bowling alley.

Barnwell was 17 at the time of the shooting but was charged as an adult under a state law that permits those 15 years or older who are charged with certain violent or serious felonies to be automatically charged as adults.

Third-degree murder is a killing committed with malice, or hardness of heart, cruelty and a recklessness of consequences.

The investigation began about 6:43 p.m. Feb. 20, 2021, when East Norriton police responded to the bowling alley, previously known as Facenda Whitaker Lanes, at 2912 Swede Road for a report of shots fired. Arriving officers found Wade, 29, of Philadelphia, dead inside the bowling alley, according to a criminal complaint filed by Montgomery County Detective Gregory Henry and East Norriton Detective Michael Henricks.

A subsequent autopsy determined Wade died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds and the manner of death was determined to be homicide.

Four others, all of Philadelphia and related to each other, suffered gunshot wounds and were treated at area hospitals.

During the investigation, detectives who processed the scene located 15 fired .45-caliber cartridge casings, court documents indicate. Detectives also recovered five projectiles, one in ceiling tiles and four in the floor area where Wade was fatally wounded.

A witness told detectives Wade and several family members were wrapping up their bowling when she heard a commotion near the front of the bowling alley. As Wade and the other four victims went to investigate the commotion, witnesses heard gunshots. A witness told detectives an armed male “fired his gun until it was empty” and then fled from the bowling alley, detectives alleged.

Detectives reviewed video surveillance from the bowling alley that depicted Barnwell, Johnson and another unidentified male enter the business about 6:39 p.m. A short time later, a physical altercation occurred with the victims and Barnwell pulled a handgun with an extended magazine from inside his jacket and fired multiple shots toward Wade and the other victims, according to the arrest affidavit.

One of the shots stuck Wade and caused him to fall to the ground. As Wade tried to crawl away to safety, Barnwell could be seen shooting him several more times until Wade eventually stopped crawling and collapsed, detectives alleged.

Authorities have not revealed a motive for the shooting.

Barnwell, Johnson and the third male who allegedly had accompanied them, fled from the bowling alley in a vehicle operated by Johnson, authorities alleged. The men left behind three cellphones, one of which belonged to Barnwell and which helped authorities develop Barnwell as a suspect in the slaying.

Barnwell surrendered to authorities a day after the shooting.

When detectives interviewed Johnson he “stated he did not know who fired the shots and at no time did he observe a gun,” according to the criminal complaint.

But when detectives searched the contents of Johnson’s cellphone they found stored photographs of Barnwell holding a dark-colored handgun with an extended magazine, detectives alleged.

“The stored photographs of the handgun and magazine are similar to the handgun used in this shooting. Detectives also located a stored photograph which depicts Raymir Johnson holding, what appears to be, the same handgun with the extended magazine,” detectives alleged in the criminal complaint.

The murder weapon was never recovered by detectives during the investigation.