Two fatal shootings in the area last week

Two fatal shootings occurred in the area last week – one has resulted in criminal charges while the other remains under investigation with no known suspects, according to police.

Police charged Wayne James, 45, with murder Tuesday for the killing of 45 year-old Carl Sharper. According to police, James opened fire at a bar on the edge of the Germantown and Nicetown neighborhoods injuring five patrons in addition to Sharper.

Police say, early in the morning on June 26 James was asked to leave the Genesis Bar for smoking inside.  He left but later returned with two other men and began shooting, according to Philly.com.

Surveillance video recorded the shooting incident, including a man police say is James walking around the bar earlier in the night, and returning, apparently with a gun.

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Police released surveillance footage of the incident the following day.

Tips called in by citizens led to James’ arrest on Tuesday at his home on the 1100 block of Wagner Street, police said.

James is charged with one count of murder and five counts each of attempted murder and aggravated assault, according to court records.

 

A second shooting

A man was killed in his car on the 1700 block of W. Juniata Street in an apparently unrelated incident two days later.  26 year-old Saleem Garland was found dead by police at 1:30 a.m. June 28.

He was found lying across the front seat of his red Chevy Impala with multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and buttocks, according to police reports. Police say the front windshield and the rear passenger window had been shot out. Garland was pronounced dead at the scene.

The killing is still under investigation, to date police report no suspects or motives related to the crime.

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