3 arrested and 1 more is sought in Philadelphia bus stop shooting that injured high school students

Three people have been arrested and one more is being sought in connection with a shooting last week that left eight high school students wounded at a transit bus stop in Northeast Philadelphia, authorities say.

The injured students, ages 15 to 17, were at the bus stop just before 3 p.m. on March 6 when three people exited a car around the corner, walked up to them and fired at least 30 times before fleeing the scene, according to Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel.

Police identified suspects using evidence that included two stolen vehicles, Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said during a Monday news conference. Jamaal Tucker, 18, turned himself in, according to Vanore, and another 18-year-old, Ahnile Buggs, was arrested over the weekend. Each was being held with bail set at $16 million, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said Wednesday.

US marshals and Philadelphia police arrested a third suspect, Jermahd Carter, 19, on Tuesday afternoon in Northeast Philadelphia, authorities announced Tuesday night. Carter’s bail was set at $4 million, according to the district attorney.

“With the arrest of Jermahd Carter, we are now seeking one more suspect,” said Robert Clark, supervisory deputy US marshal for an eastern Pennsylvania fugitive task force, in a news release Tuesday. “We have asked this suspect’s family for a surrender by tomorrow morning and if this does not occur, we are prepared to aggressively pursue him with every investigative resource available.”

On Wednesday, the Marshals’ office identified the fourth suspect as Asir Boone, 17, and said the deadline for him to turn himself in had passed. A $5,000 reward is being offered for information leading to his arrest, officials said.

A spokesperson for the Defender Association of Philadelphia had no comment about its client Tucker when reached by CNN. An attorney listed on court documents for Buggs did not respond to CNN’s request for comment. An attorney for Buggs did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.

Police were working to find another two people seen in the vehicle, Vanore said Monday. “And we’re going to continually move with our investigation towards not only those individuals but this group, anyone who may have aided and assisted them – we’re coming for them, too.”

The case has raised concerns about safety on public transit and for the city’s students. Across the nation, firearms remain the No. 1 killer of children and teens, while 74 mass shootings have been recorded in the first 73 days of this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which tallies those in which four people, not including shooters, are hit by gunfire.

The eight victims shot March 6 include two 15-year-olds, five 16-year-olds and a 17-year-old, said Philadelphia police, with one 16-year-old shot nine times.

The attack came just days after a deadly Philadelphia shooting involving schoolchildren. In that March 4 shooting, one teen was killed, two other teens were injured, and two women on a bus were hit by bullets in an incident police labeled as “targeted.” Bethel said there “may be” a connection between the two shootings but “we still have a lot of work to do to make that formal connection.”

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker also addressed residents’ concerns about using public transit. “I hear you,” she said on Monday. “We want you to know that we are unapologetic about engaging every partner available to assist us in these efforts during these very tough times.” She added the city was focusing on “prevention, intervention and enforcement” to address public safety.

Authorities at Monday’s news conference encouraged witnesses or people with information about the March 6 shooting to share any knowledge with police.

Philadelphia District Attorney Lawrence Krasner has said Tucker and Buggs are facing charges related to each of the eight victims. They include criminal attempt to murder, aggravated assault, firearms charges, possession of an instrument of crime, simple assault and reckless endangerment of another person.

“These defendants are potentially facing an enormous amount of time in custody,” Krasner said. “When you have eight different cases where you have engaged in atrocious violence, that is to be expected.”

Carter was wanted on suspicion of attempted murder, firearms violations and related charges, the US Marshals Service said in a news release Tuesday night.

CNN’s Danny Freeman reported from Philadelphia and Zoe Sottile wrote and reported from New York.