South Philly Shooter Kalief Ladson Gets 144 Months for Ammunition Violation

In a brazen daylight shooting, 29-year-old Kalief Ladson fired at least 17 shots at a group of men standing on a corner in South Philadelphia. The chaos left innocent bystanders fleeing for their lives.

The shooting occurred on January 23, 2023, at approximately 11:45 a.m. in the area of 2100 S. 8th Street. Ladson, along with another individual, parked their car and walked around the corner before Ladson produced a semiautomatic firearm with an extended magazine. Surveillance video captured the incident, and investigators were able to identify Ladson from the footage.

A Philadelphia Police Department ballistician determined that all of the fired cartridge casings had been fired from the same gun. On April 13, 2023, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Ladson with one count of possession of ammunition by a felon. A jury found him guilty on November 9, 2023, after a trial that began on November 8, 2023.

U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero condemned Ladson’s actions, stating, “Firing a fusillade of shots at people on a busy Philly street — in broad daylight — is beyond reckless. This easily could have turned into a mass tragedy.”

Ladson was sentenced by Senior United States District Court Judge Michael M. Baylson to 144 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release. The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence.

Assistant United States Attorneys Martin E. Howley, Jr. and Thomas M. Zaleski prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The ATF’s Special Agent in Charge, Eric J. DeGree, expressed commitment to working with partners to prevent violent crimes like this one.