Philadelphia streets saw a brutal wave of violence last December, and authorities have finally rounded up the third suspect allegedly responsible. Jaheym Newsome, 19, of Philadelphia, PA, is now in federal custody, facing charges of carjacking, attempted carjacking, and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence. The charges stem from two separate incidents in Northeast and South Philadelphia on December 22, 2021, that left one victim riddled with bullets.
According to federal prosecutors, Newsome, along with Dayon Hackett, 19, and Taquan Mershon, 19, both also of Philadelphia, first targeted a man in Northeast Philadelphia preparing for work. They allegedly ordered him out of his vehicle at gunpoint and made off with the car. The stolen vehicle then became central to the second, far more violent, incident in South Philadelphia.
There, Hackett and Newsome reportedly approached another man waiting for a parking space. They attempted to drag him from his car, but the victim, armed with a firearm, defended himself, opening fire. Hackett was hit multiple times in the exchange. Rather than call for help, Newsome and Mershon, who had been waiting in the stolen car, loaded the wounded Hackett into the vehicle and fled – abandoning him at a local hospital’s emergency room floor before disappearing.
The Philadelphia Police Department quickly apprehended Hackett on December 22, 2021, and he was charged by Criminal Complaint on February 25, 2022. Mershon was apprehended by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on August 16, 2022, after being charged by Criminal Complaint on August 10, 2022. ATF investigators meticulously pieced together the evidence, identifying Newsome as the final piece of the puzzle. All three now face a Superseding Indictment returned on September 13, 2022.
“Our Office is committed to supporting the Philadelphia Police Department in its work to investigate and deter violent crime, which includes our partnership on the joint carjacking task force,” stated U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero. “If you commit a violent offense like a gunpoint carjacking, federal authorities will soon be knocking at your door.” Eric Degree, acting Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division, added bluntly, “ATF’s mission is straightforward – fighting violent crime. This indictment alleges it doesn’t get any more violent than these armed carjackings.”
Hackett and Mershon remain detained pending trial, and now Newsome joins them. The brazen nature of these carjackings – escalating to gunfire and the callous abandonment of an injured suspect – highlights the escalating violence plaguing Philadelphia’s streets. ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s office promise continued pressure on violent offenders, but the question remains: will it be enough to stem the tide?
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Weapons|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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