Teen recovering after shooting into family home

A Philadelphia teenager faces multiple surgeries after he suffered several gunshot wounds when more than 40 shots were fired into his family home in west Philadelphia.

The victim has been identified as 18-year-old Jamerson Coleman, said Philadelphia Police Chief Eric Lyons. As of Monday, seven bullets had been removed from Coleman’s body, Lyons said.

“He’s had surgery and still has a few surgeries to go and a long road of recovery,” Lyons said.

A fundraiser for Coleman has been set up by Stacy Shields, the Special Education Director at Philadelphia Public Schools, at gofundme.com.

As of Tuesday morning, they had raised $3,465 from 95 donations towards a $5,000 goal.

“The first time I met Jamerson, it was clear he was a remarkable young man,” Shields said. “Truly one of the best kids I've ever had the privilege to know.”

Lyons said the investigation is “following up on several leads” as of Tuesday morning and is working to identify suspects involved.

“We at the police department will do everything we can to ensure we can arrest and hold accountable those involved,” Lyons said. Investigators are working on “a few leads.”

Lyons said he has heard “nothing but good things” about Coleman. “We know this young man was well-liked in the community,” he said.

On Sunday, April 7, at about 4:30 a.m. Philadelphia Police were dispatched to the 200 block of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive following reports of a male being shot.

Upon arrival, officers made contact with Coleman, the male victim, inside the residence who had been shot multiple times in the arm, chest, and leg while he was sleeping in his bedroom. 

EMS transported Coleman to Neshoba General and he was later flown to The University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. 

Officers recovered several spent shell casings from outside the residence near the bedroom window where Coleman was asleep and counted over 40 shots being fired into the residence, primarily into Coleman’s bedroom window. 

Coleman was not believed to be the intended target of the attack and authorities believe there were multiple shooters in this incident, Lyons said.

Speculation among his friends was that this was out-of-state drug dealers who shot at the wrong house. They were looking for a 22-year-old here who shot someone in Detroit, sources told the Democrat.

“This investigation is ongoing,” Lyons said.

If you have any information on this case, please contact the Philadelphia Police Department at (601) 656-2131 or Crime Stoppers at 1-855-485-TIPS.