Victims in Colwyn ambush double-murder identified
COLWYN » As authorities continue to track leads in a double-fatal ambush shooting Friday night, the Delaware County District Attorney’s office identified the victims as 16-year-old Jurtomu Vesslee of Philadelphia and 20-year-old Ahmed Brown of Darby Borough.
A third victim, a 15-yearold male who suffered a gunshot wound to the arm, is also a resident of Philadelphia, Colwyn Police Chief Bryan Hills said Wednesday.
Joint efforts by Colwyn and Darby police, as well as the Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division and Pennsylvania State Police are ongoing, and some leads have proven productive, according to Hills.
“We are getting close,” Hills said, referring to a possible break in the case.
It was shortly after 10:30 p.m. Friday when the gunfire erupted in the 100 block of South Fourth Street in Colwyn.
According to Hills, the victims were set up – apparently linked to a social media feud between groups in the Colwyn and Darby area and a group from Philadelphia.
“The shooter lay in wait,” Hills said.
Investigators have collected a number of threats exchanged over social media.
“There was an altercation in Darby a few nights before, windows were broken, threats over social media,” Hills said. “The one group came down to Colwyn and was inviting the other group to fight.”
The shooter was allegedly waiting in the 200 block of South Fourth Street as the individuals moved down the street toward the 100 block when the shooter struck. Officials said some members of the rival group came from Southwest Philadelphia.
Hills said the shooter lay in wait as two groups confronted each other, and as the three victims’ backs were turned, the shooter approached from behind and opened fire.
“Their backs were to the shooter and focused on the group they were talking back and forth with, and at the last minute they saw him running up,” Hills said. “The shooter came from behind and opened fire.”
Allegedly at least 10 shots were fired.
Police are searching for a suspect seen on surveillance video: An AfricanAmerican male with black hair and a black moustache and beard. At the time of the shootings, he was wearing a white T-shirt and jeans.
The incident occurred about 15 minutes before the Pennsylvania State Police were to come on patrol in Colwyn. Borough officials had asked the state police to patrol its borders from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. each day to help with local staffing limitations.