Harrisburg Police Bureau vehicle
After a shooting this past week involving Harrisburg youth, police have arrested a suspect.
On Friday, city police arrested Mandjou Sylla, a 20-year-old male, in connection with a shooting incident on Oct. 29, which left three children injured.
Last Sunday afternoon, police arrived at N. 18th and Regina streets to investigate reports of shots fired. There, officers located an 11-year-old girl, a 3-year-old boy and a 13-year-old boy, all who had been shot. The 11-year-old was taken to the hospital in critical condition, but after surgery was said to be in stable condition, according to police. The other two children sustained minor injuries and are expected to recover, police said.
Police have charged Sylla with four counts of criminal attempt homicide, five counts of aggravated assault, seven counts of recklessly endangering another person and counts for carrying a firearm without a license and for not being permitted to carry a firearm, according to information released by the bureau.
At a press conference on Monday, Lt. Kyle Gautsch shared that police believed that the 13-year-old may have been with someone who was possibly the intended target, when the shooters, who were on foot, began firing in the area. They do not believe that the 11- or 3-year-old were intended targets.
Following the shooting, Mayor Wanda Williams shared that the police bureau deployed around 30 to 40 additional police officers, along with help from other agencies, as part of a saturation detail in the community.
City officials also shared that they would work on creating an action plan to address preventative measures to address gun violence.
On Friday, Williams announced the formation of a city Parent Task Force in response to the recent violence involving youth. The group will consist of city officials and residents who will meet monthly to discuss youth safety.
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