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Grandson charged with killing his grandfather and another man stemming from dispute over bedroom conditions

The circumstances leading to the arrest of Czar McMichael, 22, of North Philly, began on Thursday when Benjamin E. McMichael, 67, conducted “a routine inspection” of his grandson's bedroom.

File photo of police tape at a homicide scene in Philadelphia.
File photo of police tape at a homicide scene in Philadelphia.Read moreALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Staff Photographer

A Philadelphia man has been charged with murder in two shootings over two days that left his grandfather and another man dead in a double homicide that emanated from a complaint over the condition of the grandson’s bedroom, police said Sunday.

The circumstances leading to the arrest of Czar McMichael, 22, of the Logan section of North Philly, began on Thursday when, police said, Benjamin E. McMichael, 67, conducted “a routine inspection” of his grandson Czar’s third-floor bedroom in their home on the 4600 block of North Broad Street and was upset with the condition of the room.

Police said the elder McMichael grabbed his grandson’s arm and Czar McMichael spun around and shot his grandfather.

On Saturday Anthony Ham, 45, of Philadelphia, along with an acquaintance stopped by the McMichael home to check on Benjamin because they hadn’t heard from him in a couple days. Ham got into the home by climbing through a window and unlocked the door for the person with him, whom police did not identify.

Police said Ham confronted Czar McMichael on the third floor, an argument ensued, and McMichael shot Ham several times, then fled the home.

The person who had arrived with Ham called 911 and Czar McMichael was stopped shortly after on the 4500 block of North 13th Street and identified as the gunman, police said.

Officers who responded to the McMichael house found Ham on the second floor and Benjamin McMichael on the third floor. Medics pronounced them dead at 4:56 p.m. Saturday.

No additional information was immediately available Sunday.