PHILADELPHIA (May 4, 2026) — Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and the DAO’s Gun Violence Task Force (GVTF) announced on Monday charges against defendant Thomas Brion for illegal gun manufacturing and other related firearm charges, which occurred in the Roxborough-Manayunk section of Philadelphia in April 2026.
The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office is charging Defendant Thomas Brion (DOB 04/20/1995) with the following charges:
- Discharge into an Occupied Structure (F3)
- Possession of Firearm by a Person Prohibited (19 Counts) (M1)
- Possession of an Instrument of Crime (PIC) (M1)
- Simple Assault (2 Counts) (M2)
- Reckless Endangerment of Another Person (REAP) (2 Counts) (M2)
- Tampering with Evidence (M2)
In the late evening of April 29, 2026, Philadelphia Police responded to the 100 block of Roxborough Avenue for a person with a gun. Investigators spoke to two complainants who said they were sleeping when they heard a loud bang. The complainants said they later found one projectile on their bedroom floor. An investigation revealed a firearm that Brion had been holding had discharged and fired through Brion’s home and into the house next door. No injuries were reported.
During the investigation, police recovered the projectile and found the entry hole. When police knocked on the door of the neighboring home, PPD was greeted by Brion’s family, who said he had left the house. Police later found Brion in a car behind the home and detained him. Police later recovered a bullet projectile, a fired cartridge casing, 13 handguns, 6 long guns, an engraver, assorted firearm components, including several homemade suppressors, and assorted ammunition/magazines in multiple calibers. This setup is consistent with a firearm modification workshop, according to law enforcement personnel.
Defendant Brion has a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 19. This is an ongoing investigation.
“Thanks to the effective use of modern enforcement, technology, and the thorough work of the Gun Violence Task Force’s incredibly talented lawyers, cases like this are prosecuted to ensure our community remains safe,” said District Attorney Larry Krasner. “My office will continue to hold people like Mr. Brion accountable for their reckless behavior and disregard for public safety. I’m grateful to our attorneys within the Task Force as well as our partners in law enforcement who helped apprehend Mr. Brion and shut down this outrageous gun modification operation.”
“The Task Force has processed and analyzed over 3,000 phones since our labs have been open to help us solve cases like this, as well as straw purchasing and street group related-incidents. We won’t stop until the streets of Philadelphia are safe,” said Assistant District Attorney William Fritze, Supervisor of the Task Force. “I want to stress our gratitude to the quick response time and effective cross-agency coordination between the multiple different law enforcement partners involved that resulted in this arrest and the recovery of these firearms.”
Photo of Frame of Derringer Double Barrel Pistol found on defendant’s premises.
Photo of 12 Gauge Semi-Auto Shotgun found on defendant’s premises.
CONTACT:
Marisa Palmer, [email protected]