Trial for Kingsessing mass shooting suspect on hold due to mental health

Digital Brief: Aug. 29, 2023 (AM)

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The suspect accused of killing five people in Kingsessing last month is not able to stand trial, a Philadelphia judge ruled Tuesday.

Kimbrady Carriker, 40, faced over two dozen criminal charges including five counts of murder in the July 3 shooting.

A spokesperson for District Attorney Larry Krasner confirmed Carriker was found unfit to stand trial by a court-appointed psychiatrist and was ordered 60 days of inpatient mental health treatment.

"Once the court deems this defendant competent to stand trial, the District Attorney's Office fully intends to hold him accountable for the harm and tragedy he has caused. Our thoughts remain with the family, friends, and community that have suffered as a result of Carriker's actions," spokesperson Dustin Slaughter wrote in an emailed statement.

Neighbors were outside on the summer night over this past July 4 holiday weekend when police say Carriker opened fire, sending people running.

"People outside, people eating water ices. Nobody's expecting to just come outside and somebody just walking around shooting people," neighbor Ameer Barber said at the time.

Police said the first shots fired on July 3rd came at 56th Street and Chester Avenue. After a chase, Carriker was taken into custody.

A day before that, police said Carriker shot and killed one of the victims, 31-year-old Joseph Wamah Jr., by firing through the victim's front door.

RELATED: New timeline of Kingsessing mass shooting leads to questions of dispatch mishap

DaJuan Brown, 15, 20-year-old Lashyd Merritt, 29-year-old Dymir Stanton and 59-year-old Ralph Moralis were the other victims killed in the shooting.

Police said Carriker was found with an AR-style rifle, a 9mm handgun, a bulletproof vest that held multiple magazines and a police scanner.

Two of the guns were "ghost guns," police said.

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