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Philadelphia Jury Convicts Three Defendants of First Degree Murder in Fatal Ambush of Two Teens

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PHILADELPHIA (November 18, 2024) — District Attorney Larry Krasner and members of the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office Homicide and Non-Fatal Shootings Unit on Monday announced that Rayfiq Tiggle (DOB 4/7/1999), Tariq Chambers (DOB 9/1/2001), and Isaiah Jones (DOB 7/26/2002) were convicted by a Philadelphia jury of two counts each of First Degree Murder (H1), Conspiracy to Commit Murder (F1), and related firearm charges for fatally ambushing two teenagers in West Philadelphia in 2021.

On the afternoon of June 11, 2021, the three defendants got into Chambers’ girlfriend’s white Nissan Altima and drove to the intersection of 55th and Arch Streets. Upon arriving, the defendants watched as 17-year-old Nasir Brooks and 18-year-old Steven Griffin walked past the vehicle. At that moment, Tiggle and Jones exited the car and opened fire, shooting 16 times at Brooks and Griffin. The teens collapsed on Arch Street and died from their wounds shortly thereafter. The defendants then returned to the car and fled the scene.

Thanks to a crime tip provided by an eyewitness, Philadelphia police located the car within 20 minutes on the 4900 block of Olive Street. Investigators also obtained eyewitness video of the defendants walking towards a residence located around the corner from where they parked the Nissan, and the address matched the vehicle’s registration. Additionally, cell location data placed Tiggle, Chambers, and Jones in the approximate vicinity at the time of the murders. They were subsequently arrested in December 2022.

Tiggle, Chambers, and Jones were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole by the Hon. Giovanni Campbell, plus an additional 20 to 40 years each for conspiracy, on November 15, 2024.

“Thanks to the Philadelphia Police Department for their very thorough investigation and to Assistant District Attorney Sean Perez for his skillful prosecution of this difficult case, these three defendants no longer pose a threat to the community,” said DA Krasner. “And while the homicide rate continues to plummet in Philly, we cannot let our foot off of the gas. My office will continue to work with our law enforcement and community partners to ensure that we are doing everything we can in terms of enforcement and prevention so that we can save more lives from the scourge of gun violence.”

“I’m grateful to the Philadelphia Police Department for their work on this case,” said ADA Perez. “And while this conviction cannot bring Nasir Brooks and Steven Griffin back to life, I hope that these convictions bring some solace to their families.”

CONTACT:
Dustin Slaughter, [email protected]

The video below is provided by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office for use by members of the news media.

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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.

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