According to a police report, a guy wanted for a deadly shooting in the Allison Hill section of Harrisburg in November was taken into custody in the city on Wednesday.
On December 4, 2024, Lateef B. Phoenix, 38, of Harrisburg, was charged with first-degree murder and related offenses after authorities said that he shot and murdered 34-year-old Darius Stukes at around 2:30 a.m. on November 2 near the intersection of Hunter and Nectarine streets.
After being discovered with four gunshot wounds to his chest and one to his head, Stukes was transported to UPMC Harrisburg Hospital, where he passed away.
Phoenix picked up Stukes from his York residence, where he lived with his girlfriend, on November 1st, according to an affidavit of probable causes. According to Stukes’ girlfriend, the two traveled to the Political Club on the 1500 block of Vernon Street and Crawdaddy’s, a restaurant in Harrisburg, where they hooked up with two ladies.
Early on November 2, the gang departed the Political Club in a Nissan Maxima. Phoenix instructed one of the women to exit the vehicle while it was close to Swatara and Nectarine streets. According to the affidavit, Stukes challenged the exiting woman, who instructed him to exit the vehicle as well so they could speak.
According to the woman’s account of the evening, police stated that Stukes was determined to walk her home.
Phoenix exited the vehicle, followed Stukes, and began firing as he left with the woman. As the neighborhood was filled with gunshots, the woman Stukes was strolling with fled.
What did I do, bro? What the [expletive]? According to court filings, the woman informed officers what she heard Phoenix say as she ran away.
Phoenix then got back in the car with the other woman and drove her home, urging her to put her head down, while carrying a backpack full of marijuana that Stukes had been selling that night.
According to the affidavit, Phoenix provided the woman two telephones in the days that followed, and he attempted to delete them both.
According to authorities, Darius Stukes, 34, was shot many times close to the intersection of Hunter and Nectarine streets on November 2 and died as a result.
Harrisburg Police is credited.Police in Harrisburg
According to court filings, Phoenix was also pacing and acting strangely while he handed the woman the phones and expressed regret for putting her in the middle of the situation.
Phoenix is prohibited from carrying a firearm due to a 2015 conviction for felony narcotics possession, according to the affidavit.
Phoenix also faces charges of tampering with evidence and four firearm violations. As of Wednesday, no date has been set for his preliminary hearing.
This report was written by Jenna Wise, a staff writer.
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Madison Montag