In a troubling situation that happened in South Philly’s Graduate Hospital area, an Amazon delivery driver was arrested after allegedly firing a gun during an argument.
The alleged South Philadelphia shooting took place just after 3 p.m. on July 17, 2024, and has left people in the neighborhood worried, mainly because a school bus full of kids was involved.
On the afternoon of July 17, things got heated between 28-year-old Terrel Hall-Williams, an Amazon driver, and a 23-year-old man who works for Sunrise, a contractor for the Philly school district.
It all started when a school bus, loaded with kids from summer camp, had trouble turning because Hall-Williams’ Amazon van was parked in the way.
The bus aide got out to ask him to move the van, but the situation quickly escalated. According to the police, the argument got physical, and Hall-Williams went to his van, grabbed a gun, and fired at least three shots.
Even though camp staff tried to calm things down, the shots were fired, but thankfully, no one was hurt. And the kids on the bus were rushed inside the nearby Edwin M. Stanton School to stay safe.
This incident has understandably caused a lot of concern among people in the area, especially parents with kids in nearby daycares, schools, and summer programs.
“My kids go to daycare right there,” said Evan Finch, a concerned parent.
He pointed out how many kids were around, saying, “Elementary school, daycare, YMCA—kids are out, it’s summertime. They’re walking to places, going to the playgrounds.”
As a result, Philadelphia police are taking the case seriously and have charged Hall-Williams with aggravated assault and other offenses.
Additionally, they’re looking at footage from the bus’s camera to get more information about what happened.
Amazon quickly responded, saying they were glad no one was hurt. An Amazon spokesperson, Montana MacLachlan, said, “We are relieved no one was physically harmed during this event. This type of behavior is unacceptable and does not reflect the standards we hold for drivers who deliver on our behalf. We are actively working with law enforcement to support their ongoing investigation.”
Amazon also clarified that Hall-Williams was working for a third-party delivery service, not directly for Amazon, and that it’s against their policy for delivery drivers to carry weapons.
What makes this even more worrying is that it happened almost a year after another shooting in the same area, where an 18-year-old was killed.
While some people, like Finch, find these incidents unsettling, many still feel safe in the neighborhood.
However, there’s growing concern that violence could be increasing. Shockingly, police records show there have been eight shootings in this district so far in 2024, which is fewer than the 23 shootings at the same time last year.
Despite this drop, recent events have made people in the community anxious about their safety.
