Philadelphia, PA – The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office announced charges against two individuals in connection with a mass shooting in Kensington in 2022. District Attorney Larry Krasner, alongside the Gun Violence Task Force (GVTF), confirmed the charges on January 12, 2024. The shooting resulted in nine people sustaining gunshot wounds.
The incident, which occurred on November 5, 2022, was captured on Real Time Crime camera footage. The video showed Michael Smith-Davis, born May 7, 1998, and a juvenile co-conspirator, firing approximately 40 rounds into a crowd on the 800 block of East Alleghany Avenue. The shooting is believed to be a retaliatory act for a previous robbery.
Smith-Davis and his associate were stopped by police two days after the shooting in the same black Honda Accord seen in the crime footage. This vehicle, along with the identities of the suspects, were recorded on police body-worn cameras. A subsequent tip identified Smith-Davis and provided his cell phone number, leading to his implication in the mass shooting.
Investigators utilized cell phone forensic analysis, call detail records, and prison phone recordings to link the defendants to the crime. Smith-Davis was apprehended this week, and the juvenile, currently in placement, will be charged as an adult. They face nine counts each of Attempted Murder, Aggravated Assault, and related offenses.
DA Krasner praised the collaborative efforts of the Philadelphia Police Department, the Gun Violence Task Force, and the Shooting Investigations Group for their roles in apprehending the suspects. Assistant District Attorney William Fritze and Alyssa Amoroso emphasized the importance of modern forensic techniques and collaboration in solving such violent crimes, warning potential shooters of the increased reach of the GVTF.