Man charged with killing his two brothers during 2024 mass shooting in West Philly: ‘It’s a real tragedy’
Amir Jones’ lawyer said he acted in defense of his brother when he fired his gun that night.
A 32-year-old man has been charged with murder and related crimes for his role in a gun battle-turned-mass shooting in West Philadelphia last year that left six people wounded and three dead — including two of his brothers, authorities said Thursday.
Amir Jones was taken into custody Thursday morning in the Parkside section of the city to face three counts of murder and multiple counts of attempted murder and aggravated assault. Among the people he is accused of killing are his younger and older brothers.
Police said Jones and his family were gathered for a party with about 100 people on the 1200 block of North Alden Street in Carroll Park on the night of July 21, 2024.
Surveillance video shows that around 2 a.m., Akil Jones, 33, was sitting on the steps of a rowhouse, talking with Tahar Shoatz, when an argument quickly turned physical. A gun was drawn, and the two men began to wrestle over the weapon and fell into the sidewalk.
The video shows that several people attempted to intervene in the tussle, including Akil Jones’ brothers, Amir and Rashie Jones. As shots were fired, police said, Amir Jones stepped back and shot multiple times toward the men fighting on the ground.
Amir Jones was shot and wounded in the process, police said.
People continued shooting back and forth at one another, and the gunfire continued sporadically for more than a minute, the video shows.
Akil and Rashie Jones were each shot multiple times, and died shortly after. A third man, Sakayi Robinson, 23, was also fatally struck by several bullets.
Six other people, ages 26 to 30, were wounded in the gunfire.
In the days after the shooting, police charged Shoatz — who was also shot four times and seriously injured during the altercation — with murder, attempted murder, and related crimes. A warrant was issued for Amir Jones’ arrest.
But Jones evaded law enforcement for more than a year — until Thursday, when U.S. marshals found him on the 4900 block of Kershaw Street.
Jones’ attorney, David Nenner, said that his client was acting in defense of his brother and that Shoatz fired the first shot.
“My client was trying to protect his brother and save his life,” he said.
Still, he said, the facts of the case need to be ironed out.
“The way I look at it right now is that this was a self-defense-of-others situation,” he said. “And that other person is his brother.”
But at its core, he said, the shooting just “shouldn’t have happened” — a combination of alcohol, guns, and clouded judgment from people on the block.
“It’s a tragedy,” he said. “A real tragedy.”
Nenner said the mother of the three men is heartbroken — overwhelmed with having to bury two sons and now see a third jailed.
“Hopefully, when it all comes out, she won’t be losing a third son,” he said.
Meanwhile, Shoatz, 29, remains in custody. He was held on all charges during a preliminary hearing in February, allowing the case to head to trial.
Police are still awaiting the results on a ballistics test to learn who fired the shots that killed each man.