1 adult, 5 minors charged in New Kensington fatal shooting, 3 suspects in custody

NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. — Five teenage boys and one adult have now been charged —ranging in age from 14 to 18 years old — in the homicide of Jason Raiford.

Amir Kennedy, 14, was the first teenage boy charged as an adult in the murder of Jason Raiford, who was gunned down on Sunday in broad daylight in New Kensington.

The shooting happened on Sunday outside of Valley Royal Court on 5th Avenue.

Police said surveillance video showed the boys entering a stairwell of the housing complex with handguns and a long gun. Raiford can be seen walking into that stairwell and there was a scuffle among him and the teens. Police said Raiford grabbed one of the handguns that fell, but said video then showed Amir Kennedy shooting at Raiford with the rifle, multiple times, even as he was on the ground.

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Investigators filed charges against five more teenage boys. Besides Kennedy, police also charged: Da’Monte Brooks, 15; Elijah Gary, 18; Jonathan Felder, 17; Avian Molter, 15; and Braedon Dickinson, 14. Dickinson has been taken into custody. 11 News confirmed that Felder has turned himself in to authorities. Kennedy was taken into custody on Wednesday.

All of those boys are charged as adults with second degree murder and robbery.

Channel 11 spoke to a woman who is one of many helping the victim’s family in their time of need.”I think people are naturally good and have a desire to help, and our community has been ravaged by violence and awful things recently,” Alicia Vanwhy said.

There has been an overwhelming response by family and friends to provide meals to Raiford’s family, and the community also set up a GoFundMe to help the Raifords, including his two young girls.

“I think the greatest comfort to the family right now would be that people know that he was loved and that he was a good dad and a good husband, and that he’s desperately missed.”

Investigators are urging the public, if you know where any of those wanted suspects are, to call 911 or New Kensington Police.

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