Police ID suspect in hit-and-run that injured 3 children, man walking from Philly day care
Police have issued an arrest warrant for 53-year-old Andre Shuford of E. Venango Street.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia police have identified the suspect wanted in a hit-and-run that injured three children and a man last month in West Philadelphia.
Police have issued an arrest warrant for 53-year-old Andre Shuford of E. Venango Street. He is described as a Black male, 5'9" tall, 210 pounds with brown eyes and bald. He is known to frequent the 1800 block of W. Venango Street and the 800 block of E. Cornwall Street.
Investigators say Shuford was behind the wheel of a pick-up truck that struck Shaheed Richberg and three children as they attempted to cross the street around 11:54 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 2.
Richberg had just picked up the two girls and a boy, ages 5, 3, and 1, from day care at 56th and Vine streets.
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Elsie Johnson, the aunt of the two girls and girlfriend of Richberg, spoke to Action News days after the hit-and-run.
She said Richberg tried to shield the kids.
"He told me when they were crossing the street, he saw the truck coming and he knew he wasn't going to get out of the way in time so he tried to take the hit for them so they wouldn't get hurt," said Johnson.
Investigators said Shuford left the truck at 53rd and Race streets and took off on foot after the crash.
The owner of the vehicle was cooperating with police. He was able to tell officers the suspect was a day laborer he only knew as "Dre."
The vehicle owner told police the suspect stole the vehicle while he was waiting to get his truck repaired.
Action News was at the home of some of the victims Monday where a prayer service was held with Pastor Donald Moore of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church.
Five-year-old Divinity was critically injured and remains at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Her three-year-old sister Essence and a one-year-old boy traveling with them suffered minor injuries.
Shaheed Richberg returned home Monday after a month in the hospital, but it will take at least a year until he's able to walk like he used to.
He said he did what anyone would have done in his position, and now he wants the perpetrator caught.
"C'mon bro. Like I said, if it was just me -- so be it, I get it. But the kids, how do you leave those kids sitting like that and don't check to see if everybody is OK? For my nieces' sake, I don't want no street justice. I want judicial justice because I want him to answer for what he'd done," said Richberg.
Johnson said her niece who remains in the hospital is showing progress. They hope to celebrate her sixth birthday on October 29 in the hospital.
Anyone with information on Shuford's whereabouts should contact the Accident Investigation District at 215-685-3180/3181.
