To know what
- A 17-year-old boy has filed a lawsuit in connection with the Bling Ling Alley shooting in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, in which one person was killed and four others were injured.
- Jamal Barnwell is facing a number of counts, including an attempt to provoke a shooting on Saturday night in East Ritten, an assassination attempt and a violent assault.
- Officials say the teenager and two other males entered Our Town Alley and three minutes later a physical altercation ensued between them and the victims. Barnwell is the suspect in the shooting.
The 17-year-old, who was wanted in a deadly shooting in Montgomery County’s Bowling Alley, was jailed Monday night after surrendering overnight to face murder charges.
Fesanda Whitaker Lance also injured four other people earlier in Saturday night’s shooting at Our Town Alley.
Former Norton Police Chief Brandon Pasquell told NBC 10 that Gemmel Barnwell of Upper Darby, along with his parents, surrendered to police late Sunday night.
Barnwell was interviewed by county detectives and taken to the Montgomery County Jail, Pasquel said.
Over the weekend, the teenager was charged with first- and third-degree murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, possession of a felony and related arrest warrant.
Officials in East Noriton, about 23 miles northwest of Philadelphia, responded to Alley at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, where dozens of people, including children, were bowling.
The Montgomery County prosecutor’s office said Frank Wade, 29, of Philadelphia, was found dead at the entrance to Bowling Alley. An ops Topsy concluded on Sunday that he had died from multiple gunshot wounds and his death was ruled out in the massacre.
Four of Wade’s relatives, aged 19, 21, 26 and 31, were found injured. The victims were shifted to local hospitals and later listed in stable condition. Investigators found 15 fired .45-caliber cartridge casings and five projectiles, a ceiling and four floors, prosecutors said.
County detectives and local police gathered video surveillance and witness interviews and reported that three men, including a 17-year-old from Upper Darby, entered the bowling alley and three minutes later there was a physical boycott between them and the victims.
Officials said the teenager pulled a weapon with an extended magazine from his jacket and began shooting. The trio then fled leaving three cellphones, one of which belonged to the suspect.
On Monday, Pasquel said the other two people with Barnwell were not suspects in the shooting.
Sirita Stanford told NBC10 that she is Wade’s wife, saying she is a father and an aspiring chef and plans to open a food truck together.
“Frank was a good guy,” Stanford said. “He was a good guy. He was a happy guy. He loved family. He wasn’t on the streets.”
Stanford said Wade went to Bowling Alley to hang out with some people he knew.
“I’m living a nightmare right now,” Stanford told NBC10. “This doesn’t seem real.”
District Attorney Kevin Steele said at the time, between 70 and 75 people, including small children, were in the bowling alley and some were hiding in closets.
Witnesses reported hearing dozens of shots inside the building. One man reported that a man broke the window of a chair to get his children to safety outside.
In a statement, Our Town Alley said the incident is rare and they are working with police.
“Our Town Alley management and staff have been devastated by the violence that erupted on Saturday evening, February 20, 2021, at the time of our establishment,” the statement said. “Our prayers are with the victims, their families and our entire community, who are shocked by this unusual event.”
The last massacre in East Noriton was at least five years ago, police said.
Barnwell was released Monday morning and was held without bail. Court Online Court Records does not list attorneys who can comment on her behalf.
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