A 14-year-old boy from Perkiomenville, Montgomery County, has been charged as a juvenile with criminal attempted homicide, among other offenses, in connection to the late Saturday night drive-by shooting in Douglass Township that left two teens injured, the Berks County District Attorney’s office announced Tuesday.
Saturday, June 10, 2023, just before midnight at 11:48pm, the Douglass Township Police Department responded to the 1200 block of Reading Avenue (Route 562), for the report of a shooting. A preliminary investigation found that a 17-year-old male and a 15-year-old male had been walking along Route 562 when a car pulled up and fired shots, striking them both. The victims were transported to Reading Hospital for the treatment of the gunshot wounds.
The Berks County Forensic Services Unit responded and processed the scene. Among the physical evidence collected, two spent firearm casings were found along the roadway where the incident occurred.
A joint investigation between the Douglass Township Police Department and Berks County Detectives determined that the two juvenile victims had left a nearby house party not long before they were shot. At the time of this shooting, the victims were walking along Route 562, heading toward Boyertown. Investigators said prior to their departure, the two victims had been involved in a physical altercation with several subjects at this party.
As a result of various interviews conducted during this investigation, Detectives say a suspect was quickly identified. The suspect, a 14-year-old male from Perkiomenville, Montgomery County, was interviewed by investigators on Monday, June 12, 2023.
Detectives say the suspect was interviewed in the presence of his attorney and subsequently admitted to shooting the victims. The suspect acknowledged that this shooting occurred in response to the earlier altercation at the house party. They say the suspect also informed investigators that he had been provided with the firearm by a juvenile acquaintance and that he is no longer in possession of the weapon.
On Monday, June 12, 2023, the defendant was charged as a juvenile with the following criminal offenses: Criminal Attempt – Homicide (2 counts), Aggravated Assault – (4 counts), Simple Assault – (2 counts), Recklessly Endangering Another Person – (2 counts), Possessing Instruments of Crime, Firearms not to be Carried without a License, Possession of Firearm by Minor, Disorderly Conduct, and Harassment.
Detectives say the investigation is continuing and that anyone with information can contact the Berks County Detective’s Office at 610-478-7171, or the Douglass Township Police Department at (610) 367-9474, or Crime Alert Berks County at (877) 373-9913.
