Philadelphia police have made available footage of two suspects involved in the case of Billy Schmidt’s death. Schmidt, a Pennsylvania State University student, was shot while returning from an NBA Finals watch party.
The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. on Saturday. Officers responding to the scene found Schmidt, 22, suffering from a chest gunshot wound. He was transported to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead at 1:47 a.m.
The Philadelphia Police Department released the surveillance video on Wednesday night. It features two individuals discarding their sweatshirts and masks near the area of 22nd and Porter streets.
The department has shared the surveillance video as part of the ongoing investigation to encourage the public to come forward with information.
Police describe the shooter as a Black male between 5’3” and 5’5”. He was dressed in dark clothing and had a light gray camouflage facemask. This suspect was armed with a handgun.
The second suspect is described as 5’8” with braids. He wore a light gray “KONFUSED” brand hoodie, featuring a design with three skulls and crossbones and a bejeweled halo above each skull.
Prevailing surveillance footage depicts Schmidt pursuing the suspects and demanding his phone back. The phone was thrown to the ground, followed shortly by a gunshot.
Billy Schmidt was studying journalism at Penn State World Campus and had plans to graduate in December. His father, Bill, discovered his son’s phone at the crime scene and reported it to the police. The authorities are attempting to retrieve DNA evidence from it.
Anna Schmidt, Billy’s sister, expressed her distress, stating, “They deserve to spend the rest of their life in jail for taking away my brother.” She emphasized the senselessness of the crime, attributing it to a stolen phone, and remarked on the deep pain it inflicted on her family.
The police department is urging anyone with information about these suspects to reach out at 215-686-3334/3335. They have announced a reward of $20,000 for details leading to an arrest and conviction.
For more updates, contact Adam Sabes at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @asabes10.