Teen arrested for murder at SEPTA station has been cleared of wrongdoing, Philadelphia DA says

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A 16-year-old who was charged with murder after a shooting at a SEPTA station in January has been cleared of wrongdoing, the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office said Thursday.

Zaire Wilson was arrested shortly after the shooting on January 11 at the 15th Street Station on the Market-Frankford Line.

However, the office of District Attorney Larry Krasner said SEPTA surveillance video - which was not available to his office at the time of Wilson's arrest - shows that Wilson "was clearly not involved in the shooting and murder" of 16-year-old Tyshaun Welles.

Another teen arrested in this case, 18-year-old Quadir Humphrey, is being prosecuted for murder and related offenses.

Investigators say witnesses reported seeing Humphrey and Wilson talking on the SEPTA platform at the 15th Street Station before Humphrey fired into the crowd, striking Welles.

The charges against Wilson were dropped last month and he returned home February 29.

He says it's been difficult to return to normal.

"It changed my life. I can't go outside anymore. I can't do stuff I wanted to do. I can't go anywhere without a ride. I can't get on SEPTA because I don't know who wants to do something to me or try to do something to me because of this situation," he told Action News.

"My son experienced being locked up for six-and-a-half weeks. It has been traumatic for him, for me as his mom, trying to fight for him to get him out," said Wilson's mother, Summer.

Wilson also says he was friends with Welles, so not only is he trying to cope with his loss but also being falsely charged with his murder.

"I still haven't gotten over the loss of Tyshaun," said Wilson. "I went through depression in there - thoughts of hurting myself because of that because he was really one of my best friends."

Summer hopes no one else has to overcome a similar life-altering situation and has this message for authorities.

"Look up the evidence before y'all go and lock these young men up, these young kids up," said Summer. "This right here is a traumatic experience for my son."