3rd shooter sentenced in killing of Gov. Mifflin student at Reading park
Julian Evans pleaded guilty Wednesday — the day before his 21st birthday — before Berks County Judge Thomas Parisi to two counts of aggravated assault, possessing a firearm without a license and perjury. He was sentenced to six to 15 years in state prison.
Evans was one of three men charged in the March 14, 2022, shooting death of 18-year-old Amier T. Bibbs following a fight at Brookline Park.
Anthony Boria, 20, of Reading and Henry Madera, 19, of Spring Township were each convicted in October of third-degree murder and related charges. Each was sentenced in December by Parisi to 23 to 46 years in state prison.
Three others were injured in the shooting. A 16-year-old girl suffered multiple gunshot wounds to her torso and left thigh, and males ages 18 and 17 suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and buttocks, respectively.
The shooting took place after dozens of teenagers gathered at the Brookline Park baseball field in the 1300 block of Meade Street to watch a prearranged fistfight between two boys.
The group mostly consisted of current and former students from the Gov. Mifflin School District.
After the fight, several people in the crowd began arguing. Three people — Boria, Madera and Evans — began firing gunshots into the crowd. Bibbs and three other teens were struck.
Bibbs died at the scene. Investigators recovered 43 shell casings in the park.
'This was another example of being young and dumb,' District Attorney John T. Adams said Thursday. 'This was a classic example of young people, of teenagers, just shooting randomly and not realizing the gravity and the consequences of pulling that trigger.
'A life was lost and another young life was impacted forever as a result of this reckless and spontaneous use of a firearm.'
Adams said that Evans' sentencing brought to close a very difficult case in which normal investigative methods did not result in any charges. That was largely because all three shooters wore masks — which was common as the COVID-19 pandemic was coming to a close at the time, he said.
'It was difficult for us to obtain the cooperation and evidence we needed from many of the individuals who were there to identify the perpetrators,' Adams said.
The case was given to an investigative grand jury, Adams said, which was able to develop additional evidence and identify Evans as a suspect. After he was charged, Evans cooperated with authorities and helped move the cases against his fellow shooters forward.
Charges against all three came about nine months after the killing.
'As we prepared for trial, he provided additional corroborating evidence that was, quite frankly, essential in the identification of the other individuals who were also shooters in this case,' Adams said. 'His cooperation was really very intrinsic in providing us the needed evidence to prove our case.'
Adams said he is glad all three shooters have been brought to justice and will each serve a lengthy prison sentence.
'This is what I consider one of the most tragic cases that our office has be involved with in years,' he said. 'The bottom line is that we had one young man shot and killed and we had another young lady who was injured very badly and has probably suffered injuries that will affect her for the rest of her life.
'It is again another reminder of the dangerousness of young people with guns.'
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