Man wanted for SEPTA shooting in West Philadelphia arrested in Delaware, U.S. Marshals say
An 18-year-old man wanted for shooting at a SEPTA bus hitting three women in West Philadelphia earlier this month is in custody after being arrested in Middletown, Delaware, the U.S. Marshals Service Philadelphia announced Wednesday afternoon.
Raphael Ezeamaka was taken into custody after being arrested at an apartment complex in Middleton, the U.S. Marshals Service Philadelphia said in a social post, with help from the U.S. Marshals Delaware Fugitive Task Force. He was found at an apartment near Ramuno and Rosie drives.
According to the release by the U.S. Marshals Service Eastern Pennsylvania Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force, investigators had information that Ezeamaka was at an apartment in Middleton, and when Philadelphia and Wilmington marshals went to the apartment and knocked, they said Ezeamaka tried to leave from the second-floor balcony.
Ezeamaka ended up being taken into custody in a bedroom. He is being held at the Howard Young Correctional Institution and will be extradited to Philadelphia.
Marshals said Ezeamaka on Oct. 8 fired multiple shots into a Route G SEPTA bus after getting off, hitting three women — a 29-year-old, a 56-year-old and a 60-year-old. All three women were listed as stable and expected to be OK.
Ezeamaka faces three counts of attempt to commit criminal homicide for the shooting, according to the release.
The U.S. Marshals Service Philadelphia announced last week a reward of up to $5,000 for Ezeamaka's arrest.
"The arrest of Ezeamaka should assure the citizens of Philadelphia that violent crime fugitives will be aggressively pursued no matter where they flee," Supervisory Deputy Marshal for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Robert Clark said in the release.