Police: Arrest likely within days in South Philadelphia deadly shooting of 2 teens
SOUTH PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia police are hopeful they are days away from making an arrest in the deadly shooting of two teenagers in South Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross spoke to Action News Thursday morning on the likelihood of an arrest in the deaths of Salvatore DiNubile and Caleer Miller, who were both 16-years-old.
"We are optimistic that we will be making an arrest. We don't have quite enough right now, but we have solid direction. I anticipate within the next couple days, we probably will be able to make an arrest," Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross said.
Friends and family members gathered for a vigil Wednesday night at 12th and Ritner streets.
Father James Casey petitioned prayers for the teens against a growing echo of sobs from the massive crowd.
"I knew Sal and Caleer for a while," said Gianna Quadenfield, neighbor and classmate of Caleer. "They're very good kids."
The shooting happened just before 8:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 2300 block of South 12th Street near Ritner Street.
Police said the violence started as an argument between a group of kids, ending with at least one shooter firing bullets from a .45 caliber handgun.
Police said both Miller and DiNubile were shot in the chest.
Witnesses said they heard some sort of argument prior to the shooting.
A surveillance video shows neighbors scrambling from the spot where gunfire erupted.
Earlier Wednesday, friends and family gathered outside the home of Salvatore DiNubile, the very spot where the shooting occurred.
They remember Sal as a beloved member of the hockey team at Saint Joe's Prep, where he was in his junior year.
Teammate and friend Owen Kelly said, "Sal was a good kid. He was like street smart, school smart, and good at hockey."
David Giacomin, Head Coach of Saint Joe's Prep hockey, said, "Sal was a great young man, his family is tremendous. Hardworking kid who loved being around his fellow Prep students, and we are going to miss him tremendously."
Caleer Miller was a junior at the Thomas Campus of Mastery Charter School.
Miller had long since established himself as a hard-working, respectful young man who left a good impression on everyone he met.
One neighbor said, "He called me Mr. Goldie every time he saw me. I see him coming from school, going to school or going to play ball. He spoke and was very respectful."
"Caleer was a very nice young man, very respectful, and will never know what he had in front of him because of the tragedy that occurred," said a staff member at Mastery Charter.
Investigators say the gunman remains on the loose.
And the neighborhood residents continue to ask that same old questions about gun violence in the city.
"Where does it stop? Where does it start? Who's giving these kids these guns? It's crazy," Goldie said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the police.
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