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SCRANTON — Three suspects in a mid-July armed robbery have been charged in the death of a city patrolman.
Nasir Sheldon Jones 17, Isiah Malik Edwards, 17, and Tanner Curtis, 17, all of Scranton, each was arraigned Thursday afternoon on charges of second degree murder and second degree murder of a law enforcement officer, adding to the list of robbery, firearms and other charges the teenagers were already facing.
Scranton police Officer John James Wilding, 29, died July 12 from injuries he sustained while in pursuit of the men the previous night. Lackawanna County Coroner Tim Rowland ruled Wilding’s death a homicide.
State police at Dunmore allege Jones, Curtis and Edwards were involved in an attempted armed robbery just before 3 a.m. July 11.
Jones exited a stolen Chevrolet Blazer, aimed a shotgun at a man walking along Jackson Street and said, “Give me all your (expletive),” according to a criminal complaint.
Police say Jones reached into the man’s pockets and turned them inside-out when he said he didn’t have anything to give. Curtis allegedly jumped into the driver’s seat during the robbery and yelled, “get the (expletive) in the car or I’m going to leave you.”
Scranton police spotted the vehicle about ten minutes later, traveling toward center city on the North Scranton Expressway. Police say Jones was driving the vehicle at that time.
Jones failed to stop for police and crashed into a stone wall on Lafayette Street where he, Edwards and Curtis abandoned the vehicle, the complaint says.
Police arrested Jones on North Decker Court, Edwards behind the Vault Bar on North Main Avenue and Curtis in front of the tavern.
State police say the Blazer was stolen from an Orchard Street residence. Investigators allegedly recovered a shotgun, an airsoft pistol, a box of 25 shotgun shells and gloves from the vehicle.
Jones was charged with two counts of robbery, and one count each of possession of a firearm by a minor, terroristic threats, simple assault and reckless endangerment.
Edwards was charged with robbery, possession of firearm by a minor, terroristic threats and reckless endangerment.
Curtis faces charges of robbery, terroristic threats and reckless endangerment.
See Friday’s Times Leader for more on this story.
