16-Year-Old Wanted in Connection with Deadly Shooting at Pennsylvania High School 

Police say Dayron Burney-Thorne, 16, has been named a suspect in a shooting that left 14-year-old Nicolas Elizalde dead and four others injured outside their Philadelphia high school

Nicolas Elizalde and Dayron Burney-Thorne
Nicolas Elizalde and Dayron Burney-Thorne. Photo: Philadelphia Police Department

Police in Pennsylvania are searching for a 16-year-old boy wanted in connection to the alleged murder of a teen leaving his high school football practice last week.

According to a Philadelphia Police Department news release, Dayron Burney-Thorne, 16, has been named a suspect in the Sept. 27 shooting that left 14-year-old Nicolas Elizalde dead and four others injured outside their Philadelphia high school.

Nicolas Elizalde
Nicolas Elizalde.

Burney-Thorne has warrants out for his arrest for murder, multiple counts of attempted murder, theft, obstructing justice, tampering with evidence, and criminal conspiracy, the release reads.

Citing PPD Homicide Capt. Jason Smith, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports detectives are searching for seven other persons of interest in the case.

Smith did not specify if Burney-Thorne was one of the gunmen who ambushed the group of teens outside of Roxborough High School or a getaway driver, according to the Inquirer.

"This was definitely a well-orchestrated shooting," Smith said during a news conference, the outlet reports. "These individuals were being very careful to not leave identifiers [behind]."

Dayron Burney-Thorne
Dayron Burney-Thorne. Philadelphia Police Department

Police revealed a second vehicle used in the commission of the alleged crime has also been recovered.

Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said the individuals involved are now "just delaying the inevitable," pending their arrests, according to the outlet.

"There's an entire generation of children who believe the only way to settle a score is by bringing a gun into the equation," she said, per the Inquirer. "And what these kids don't realize, unfortunately, is that some of the solutions they're coming up with — they're final. This is the end for them. There's no going back."

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A motive is still under investigation.

The city of Philadelphia is offering a $45,000 reward leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the homicide unit at (215) 686-3334.

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