17-year-old accused in deadly East Norriton, Pa. bowling alley shooting turns himself in to police
The shooting at Our Town Alley left 1 man dead and 4 others injured
EAST NORRITON, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Police say the 17-year-old who opened fire inside a Montgomery County bowling alley on Saturday night, killing one person and injuring four others, has turned himself in.
The shooting happened Saturday around 6:45 p.m. at the Our Town Alley, formerly Facenda Whitaker Lanes, located in the 2900 block of Swede Road in East Norriton Township.
On Sunday night, authorities say 17-year-old Jamel Barnwell, of Upper Darby, turned himself in to police. He is facing murder, assault and weapons charges, police said.
Barnwell made his first court appearance on Monday morning where a judge denied him bail.
Authorities say Barnwell walked into the bowling alley with two other men and an altercation ensued with the victim, 29-year-old Frank Wade of West Philadelphia.
Barnwell is accused of firing 15 shots inside the bowling alley. Wade was shot and killed while he was on the ground, said Steele.
Authorities say Barnwell and the men he was with all fled the scene after the shooting. They left behind three cell phones, one of which belonged to Barnwell.
WATCH: Montgomery County DA Kevin Steele names suspect in bowling alley shooting
Four other family members of Wade were also injured in the shooting. They have been identified as a 31-year-old man, a 21-year-old man, a 19-year-old man and a 26-year-old man. All four victims are listed in stable condition at an area hospital.
RELATED: 1 dead, 3 hurt after shooting at bowling alley in East Norriton, Pa.
Steele says there were about 50 to 75 people, including young children, who were inside the bowling alley when the gunfire erupted. Some people took shelter inside a nearby mechanical closet.
"You start hearing, 'Pop pop pop pop pop.' You hear them going off and everyone started panicking, running toward the back," said Harry Delmar, who was at the bowling alley with his family, including his 2-year-old niece and 9-year-old nephew.
"Making sure that they got out safe. My first priority was the kids. I didn't care about myself. I didn't know how close the person, where he was, if he was going to go right down the lanes," said Megan Jantzi, Delmar's fiancé.
The Jantzi family came back Sunday for their car. They had left everything inside and a stranger took them home.
"A stranger, that was so nice. But I wound up talking to him and I'm going to send him a thank-you note today," said Jantzi's mom, Jeanne.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the Montgomery County Detective Bureau's Crime Tip Line at 610-278-DOIT (3648). Or submit an anonymous text tip using Montco Crime Tips on the STOPit! app.
The Our Town Alley released this statement on the shooting:
"Our Town Alley management and staff are devastated by the violence that occurred at our establishment Saturday evening, February 20, 2021. Our prayers are with the victims, their families, and our entire community, which has been rattled by this unusual incident.
Going back to its days as Facenda Whitaker Lanes, Our Town Alley has always been a safe place where families come to enjoy themselves, a place for friends and camaraderie. As East Norriton Township Chief of Police Brandon Pasquale told news outlets, this incident is an anomaly, an uncommon occurrence in our neighborhood. It follows a year that has been tough on our business, our patrons, and our community because of the pandemic.
Just as we have been recovering from this difficult past year, we will also recover from this event. We affirm our mission to maintain a family-friendly, fun entertainment center. We are committed to working with authorities, security experts, and community leaders to make sure nothing like this happens again at our establishment."
Barnwell is due back in court next month.
