PHILADELPHIA (January 12, 2024) — District Attorney Larry Krasner and the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office Gun Violence Task Force (GVTF) on Friday announced criminal charges against two male suspects for their roles in a mass shooting committed in the city’s Kensington section in 2022. Nine individuals sustained various gunshot wounds during the assault. One of the defendants is currently a juvenile; as such, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office is prohibited by law from identifying the individual at this time.On the evening of November 5, 2022, Real Time Crime camera video recovered by investigators depicted defendant Michael Smith-Davis (DOB 5/7/1998) and a juvenile co-conspirator exiting a black Honda Accord and opening fire, spraying approximately 40 rounds into a group of people on the 800 block of East Alleghany Avenue. Investigators believe the motive for the shooting was in retaliation for a prior robbery.
Two days after the shooting, Smith-Davis and his co-conspirator were pulled over by police in the same black Honda Accord. The vehicle make and model as well as the defendants’ identities were recorded on a police body-worn camera. Shortly thereafter, Philadelphia police received a tip relating to the identity of one of the shooters, Michael Smith-Davis, as well as his cell phone number. Based on that information, Smith-Davis became a suspect in the Kensington mass shooting. He was subsequently brought in for Mirandized questioning, where he admitted that he had been pulled over by police on November 7, 2022, in the same car identified in surveillance video from the mass shooting.Utilizing cell phone forensic analysis, call detail records, and prison phone recordings, investigators were able to link these defendants to the Kensington shooting. Smith-Davis was subsequently apprehended this week. The juvenile is currently in placement and will be charged as an adult. Their charges include nine counts of Attempted Murder and Aggravated Assault and related offenses.
“Thanks to the excellent investigatory work of the Philadelphia Police Department and Gun Violence Task Force, these two defendants will be held accountable for the violence and havoc they brought to the Kensington community,” said DA Krasner. “This case, quite simply, is a perfect example of what happens when you bring collaboration and modern forensic techniques to bear on violent crime cases.”“This case is yet another example of successful collaboration,” said Assistant District Attorney William Fritze, Supervisor of the DAO Gun Violence Task Force. “The work of the Philadelphia Police Department’s Shooting Investigations Group — the mountain of evidence they were able to obtain — we were able to assist them with cell phone extractions, the review of prison recordings, and more. You’ve heard of the Gun Violence Task Force in Southwest Philly. You’ve heard of it in South Philadelphia. Would-be shooters should now know that we’re branching out into Kensington and North Philly too.”
“I would like to commend the hard work of the Philadelphia Police Department’s Shooting Investigations Group, the agents with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and our GVTF analysts for the long hours they put into this investigation to bring these two individuals to justice for terrorizing Kensington,” said Assistant District Attorney Alyssa Amoroso. “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to close unsolved cases. And to shooters in our city, know that the GVTF has shown time and time again that we will find you.”“I thank all of the law enforcement entities who worked diligently to bring this case to a close,” said Councilmember Quetcy Lozada (District 7). “This is a true demonstration of government working together for the benefit of the city. My priority is to create a safe environment for the people living and raising families in my district. These arrests are one step toward improving their quality of life and restoring their confidence in government.”
CONTACT:Dustin Slaughter, [email protected], 215-686-8713
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The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office is the largest prosecutor’s office in Pennsylvania, and one of the largest in the nation. It serves the more than 1.5 million residents of the City and County of Philadelphia, employing 600 lawyers, detectives, and support staff. The District Attorney’s Office is responsible for the prosecution of approximately 40,000 criminal cases annually. Learn more about the DAO by visiting PhillyDA.org.