Miles Park (Image courtesy of Google StreetView)
A Hatboro teen was the victim with a gunshot to the pelvic region after two rival groups met for a fight.
A Chester County man is facing felony charges after a shooting in Whitemarsh Township on Nov. 13.
According to Whitemarsh Township Police Chief Christopher P. Ward, Devin Burns, 19, of Glenmoore, Pa., was arrested for charges relating to a shooting last week. Police were first called to the area of Miles Park at 399 Germantown Pike in Lafayette Hill around 10:41 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 13, Ward said, for the report of a “disturbance.”
Ward said that soon after, a second call came in reporting someone “banging on the rear door of a residence that borders Miles Park along Hillside Road.” Officers said that, upon arrival on hillside, they discovered an 18-year-old male of Hatboro, suffering from a gunshot wound in the pelvic region.
Ward said that both officers and medics responding from the Whitemarsh Community Ambulance were able to assist the victim until he was transported to Abington Memorial Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Police said they searched the area of Miles Park but could not locate those causing the previous call’s disturbance report. However, according to reports, they did locate a single shell casing.
Following an investigation by the department, police said that a group of around 12 people, ages 16 to 19, had met up at Miles Park in order for two females to “participate in a fist fight related to boyfriend issues.” Once assembled, the two females began to fight, as more females jumped in, police said.
“At some point, Devin Burns produced a handgun and show the victim, who arrived with the opposing group,” said Ward. When police obtained an arrest warrant the following day, Pennsylvania State Police traveled to detain Burns in Glenmoore, Chester County. Ward said that Burns then fled, leading PSP on a six-jurisdiction chase until troopers could arrest him. During the chase, police said, Burns “intentionally rammed one of their occupied police units” prior to be taken into custody.
Police reported that they recovered a firearm in Burns’ possession. The gun and vehicle have been placed into evidence, according to Ward.
Burns was arrested and charged by the PSP for events on Nov. 14, in Chester County courts. Burns was arraigned in Chester County, with a bail set at $150,000 cash. As he was unable to post bail, Burns was remanded to the Chester County Correctional Facility.
Whitemarsh police said that they have filed detainers for the charges regarding the shooting in the township. The incident continues to be under investigation, Ward said. He asked that anyone with information reach out to the Whitemarsh Township Police Department’s detective division at 610-825-6530.
Burns is facing felony charges of aggravated assault with attempts to cause serious bodily injury or cause injury with extreme indifference, aggravated assault with attempts to cause or causes bodily injury with a deadly weapon, as well as nine misdemeanor counts of recklessly endangering another person, one charge of possession of an instrument of a crime with intent, one charge of crime committed with a firearm, and a summary offense of carrying a loaded weapon.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records, as well as a release from police.
