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DA Larry Krasner, Officials Announce Charges in Major Takedown of Nearly Two Dozen Defendants Connected to Street Group Related Shootings Across Philadelphia

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PHILADELPHIA (March 19, 2026) — Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and law enforcement officials announced on Thursday charges against 21 defendants of local street groups for their role in more than a dozen shootings and gun-related crimes across Philadelphia. The crimes occurred between January 2022 and August 2023, with a total of 32 victims, including the murder of 18-year-old Aquill Foster.

The 33rd Philadelphia County Investigating Grand Jury has determined that Maliek Robbins, Jayme Drayton, Marquan Flamer, Baahij Arthur, Atum El, Emmitt Hardee, Damar Holmes, Rahmel Humphrey, Carl Jarett, Quadir Spady, Elante Outerbridge, Eli Simmons, Malik Sweets, Ivan Williams, Javon Fisher, Baseer Johnson, Aliaan Harris, Taaj Lennon, Bryant Cumberbatch and Samerah Pendleton are implicated in one homicide, 18 non-fatal shootings, three gunpoint carjackings, one car theft, and one gunpoint robbery. One other individual is not being named at this time as part of the ongoing investigation. The Investigating Grand Jury also determined that the defendants are connected to the street groups known as “The Senders,” “The Close Range Gang,” “7th Street,” and “PNB.”

Five of the defendants were taken into custody today while several others were already in custody awaiting trial on other charges.

Charges:

Maliek Robbins

  • Aggravated Assault
  • Robbery
  • Conspiracy

Jayme Drayton

  • Murder

Marquan Flamer

  • Murder

Baahij Arthur

  • Attempted Murder

Atum El

  • Attempted Murder

Emmitt Hardee

  • Conspiracy to Commit Attempted Murder

Damar Holmes

  • Aggravated Assault

Rahmel Humphrey

  • Attempted Murder

Carl Jarett

  • Attempted Murder
  • Robbery
  • Theft by Unlawful Taking

Quadir Spady

  • Attempted Murder
  • Aggravated Assault

Elante Outerbridge

  • Attempted Murder
  • Robbery

Eli Simmons

  • Attempted Murder
  • Aggravated Assault
  • Robbery

Malik Sweets

  • Attempted Murder

Ivan Williams

  • Attempted Murder

Javon Fisher

  • Attempted Murder
  • Aggravated Assault
  • Robbery

Baseer Johnson

  • Attempted Murder
  • Robbery
  • Aggravated Assault

Aliaan Harris

  • Attempted Murder

Taaj Lennon

  • Aggravated Assault

Bryant Cumberbatch

  • Attempted Murder
  • Aggravated Assault

Samerah Pendleton

  • Conspiracy to Commit Attempted Murder

“This is a good day for the citizens of Philadelphia, including the residents of South Philadelphia whose neighborhoods have been terrorized by this senseless violence like many other neighborhoods,” said District Attorney Larry Krasner. “Our office will continue to take down those who perpetrate violence and we will not stop until all Philadelphia neighborhoods feel safe. Thank you to Assistant District Attorneys Bill Fritze, Adam Farraye, and Katherine Reamy, the entire DAO’s Gun Violence Task Force, and our law enforcement partners for their thorough and decisive work in this investigation.”

“The charges we announced today are the continuation of the efforts we first disclosed a year ago with the sweeping indictments of these gangs based in South Philadelphia,” said Bill Fritze, Chief of the Task Force. “Utilizing a number of methods, the continued investigations of those initial shootings committed in retaliation revealed other targeted shootings in which often innocent bystanders were struck by gunfire. We also thank the individuals whose hard work led to these arrests, specifically Detectives Kelley Gallagher, Patrick Cavalieri, David Gannone, Ryan Moore, Christopher Maitland, Andrew Gallagher, Steven Blackwell, Officers Copestick and Berryman from the Criminal Intelligence Unit, the Attorney General’s Office including Agent Matthew Winscomb, our partners at the FBI and the DIVIC, and Criminal Analysts Amanda McCourtie and Ashley Waples.”

“The DAO’s Victim Services Unit works with individuals and families who have experienced trauma, loss, and violence to meet them with compassion, support, and advocacy,” said Mariel Delacruz, Director of the DAO’s Victim Services Unit. “We will continue to offer resources and support to the survivors, co-survivors and witnesses in these cases to assist them on their journey towards healing.”

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