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Murder charges that accused a Philadelphia teen of fatally shooting his twin brother were dropped Wednesday after investigation revealed the October 1 incident to be a “tragic accident,” according to the district attorney.
The shooting death of 18-year-old Suhail Gillard initially led to charges of murder and other crimes against his twin, Fayaadh Gillard. Both were high school seniors and shared All-Public-League honors as standout football players for Mastery Charter North High School.
“He was demonstrating how to use it — showing them specifics about the firearm, how to load, unload, how to actually eject bullets,” alleged Assistant District Attorney Ashley Toczylowski, according toNBCPhiladelphia. “The firearms were given to the children to, essentially, mimic what he was doing.”
Said Krasner: “This was a horrific accident for which the whole family will suffer but [Fayaadh] should not be criminally liable under these circumstances.”
He added that the boys’ father would be “treated accordingly” as the investigation continues, but it was unclear which charges he might face.
“He should not have encouraged his three children — the twins and their 16-year-old sister — to play with the firearm,” Krasner alleged during a news conference Wednesday, reportsCBSPhilly. “And after the accidental shooting resulting in the death of one of his twins, he should not have instructed his two surviving traumatized children to lie, so he could keep himself out of prison.”
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John Davidson, the boys’ head football coach, toldThe Philadelphia Inquirerthat multiple colleges had shown an interest in recruiting Suhail.
“Suhail was a beloved student,” Mastery school principal Chris Ziemba told the newspaper. “He was an amazingly strong member of our community. He got along with everyone. He stood up for everyone. He was extremely bright. So capable. He was amazing on the football field. He had an amazingly bright future ahead of him.”
“Having the charges dropped relieves a tremendous burden for the family,” Mastery Charter Schools said in a statement, reports CBSPhilly. “The tragic reality, however, is that regardless of the court decision, Fayaadh is grieving in a way that is beyond comprehension. We will continue to support him and his family through this difficult time.”
source: people.com
