Charges dropped against teenager who accidentally shot, killed his twin brother

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — Charges have been dropped against a Pennsylvania teenager accused of shooting and killing his twin brother. But now their father may face charges.

"We always called Suhail and Fayaad, Suddie and Yaddie. If you couldn't tell the difference between the two of them you would just say Suddie-Yaddie," the twins' brother, Nafis Woods, told KTW.

Wearing a sweatshirt bearing his younger brother’s nickname, Woods said his family is trying to figure out where they go from here.

“We take all his energy and character that she showed us how to stand up for the kid, boy, the man who he was as a person,” said Woods.

Prosecutors had said it was Fayaad Gillard who shot and killed Suhail Gillard on Dec. 1.

Fayaad was charged with murdering his twin brother, but on Wednesday prosecutors dropped all charges.

“We’ve been crying tears of pain all week, but today we’re crying tears of joy,” said Woods.

On Wednesday afternoon, District Attorney Larry Krasner said the boys’ father, Aleem Gillard, could now face charges. Krasner said the twins and their sister were visiting their father at his Overbrook apartment. They hadn’t seen him in months.

Krasner said Aleem was teaching them how to load and unload a gun, and also how to clean it, when it fired while in Fayaadh's hands.

“We believe Aleem Gillard is responsible for the death of his child, Suhail, and he will be treated accordingly,” said Krasner.

Suhail was set to graduate from Mastery Charter this spring. He was a football standout and his family said he was being recruited by colleges.

Fayhaad was also a student at Mastery and also played on the football team.

Woods said he and his family will now work to make his brother’s legacy live on.

“We don’t want his name to die. This is not just a memory of another black boy being shot and killed. He’s a legend that will live on,” said Woods.

Authorities said that Aleem Gillard is a felon and was not allowed to be in possession of a gun.

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