Teen arrested in shooting of 16-year-old Khalief Webster in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, police say
A teenager has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, high school student Khalief Webster over the weekend, police said Wednesday.
Michael Nixon, 17, turned himself in Tuesday night and has been charged as an adult with first-degree murder, Upper Darby Police Superintendent Timothy Bernhardt said during a press conference Wednesday.
Webster, 16, was a sophomore at Upper Darby High School and played football. Police said the shooting happened just before 3 p.m. Sunday near Long Lane and Pine Street after an argument.
"We should be standing here talking about Khalief Webster's future. His career, his plans, a family, all that life should have had to offer," Bernhardt said. "But instead, we're here talking about a tragedy that should've never occurred."
According to court documents, surveillance video obtained by police showed Webster riding a miniature dirt bike from the 7200 block of Pine Street onto the 300 block of Long Lane toward Locust Street.
Shortly before the shooting, audio from the surveillance video captured someone asking, "You that young boul I seen the other day? You better not be," followed by a gunshot, according to court documents.
Webster was shot in the abdomen and later died at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadelphia, police said.
The surveillance video then showed the alleged shooter putting something in his waistband as he fled the scene, court documents said. The suspect then took out a cellphone and was overheard saying, "I just shoot somebody in their chest, bro," according to court documents.
Police released multiple photos of the alleged shooter on Sunday night. Bernhardt said that Nixon is the person seen in the images. Court documents show police identified Nixon as the suspect Monday.
According to court documents, a witness told investigators they picked Nixon up Sunday after the shooting, and Nixon allegedly said to them that he "had a prior dispute with the victim."
Bernhardt said the argument before the shooting remains under investigation.
Upper Darby police served two search warrants Tuesday, Bernhardt said.
Bernhardt said that two of Nixon's family members cooperated with the police. He added that more charges could be filed against people who may have harbored Nixon as police sought him.
The Upper Darby School District made resources available to students and asked members of the school community to keep all involved in their thoughts and prayers.
"I'm sad, disappointed and even angry to be here yet again at a press conference talking about a senseless crime and a loss of a youth," Upper Darby Mayor Ed Brown said. "I met with the wonderful family of the deceased. They spent considerable time telling me how special he was and he wasn't a troublemaker, not a bad kid at all. He had a bright future. That saddens me. Every time we lose somebody like that, our community is weakened. … We've got to figure out another way to resolve conflict. Guns are not the answer, it's just senseless. It breaks my heart."
