It happened Saturday around 6:45 p.m. at Our Town Alley, former Whitaker Lanes Farm, located at block 2900 Swede Road.
Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said the suspect, 17-year-old Jamel Barnwell, is wanted in the murder. He is considered armed and dangerous.
Authorities say Barnwell entered the bowling alley with two other men and an altercation broke out with the victim, 29-year-old Frank Wade of West Philadelphia.
Barnwell is accused of firing 15 shots at the bowling alley and killing Wade, who was shot dead while on the ground.
Authorities say Barnell and the men he was with all fled the bowling alley after the shooting. They left behind three cell phones, one of which belonged to Barnwell.
“We are looking for the three men involved and are asking for help from the public to find the shooter, Barnwell. If you see him, do not approach him as he is considered armed and dangerous after fleeing the bowling alley with the gun that he used to use. He kills Frank Wade, “Steele said.
Four other members of Wade’s family were also injured in the shooting. They have been identified as a 31-year-old man, a 21-year-old man, a 19-year-old man and a 26-year-old man. The four victims appear in stable condition in a hospital in the area.
Wade’s wife said he was a loving husband and father of two children who wanted to be a cook.
“He was a good person. Frank had a lot of dreams and dreams. He was never a violent person. He was never on the street. He wanted better,” Syreta Stanford said.
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Steele says there were between 50 and 75 people, including young children, who were on the bowling alley when the shots exploded. Some people took refuge inside a nearby mechanical closet.
“You start to hear ‘Pop pop pop pop pop.’ You heard them leave and everyone started panicking, running backwards,” said Harry Delmar, who was on the bowling alley with his family. including his 2-year-old niece and his 9-year-old nephew.
“Making sure they came out safe. My first priority was the kids. I didn’t care about myself. I didn’t know how far the person, where he was, was going to go down the lanes.” said Megan Jantzi, Delmar’s fiancé.
The Jantzi family returned Sunday by their car. They had left everything inside and a stranger took them home.
“A stranger, he was so nice. But I ended up talking to him and I’ll send him a thank you note today,” Jantzi’s mother, Jeanne, said.
Barnwell faces homicide charges. It is described as standing 6 ‘1 “and weighs approximately 150 pounds.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Montgomery County Detective Bureau’s crime counseling line at 610-278-DOIT (3648). Or send an anonymous text tip with Montco Crime tips to STOPit. application
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