A Pennsylvania teenager sought in connection with the fatal shooting of Penn State student Billy Schmidt has been apprehended in Colorado, approximately 1,700 miles from where the crime occurred. The arrest concludes a month-long search for the suspect, who allegedly shot Schmidt as he walked home from an NBA Finals viewing event.
Suspect Apprehended Far From Crime Scene
Azzubair Outen-Fleming, 16, was taken into custody in Colorado Springs by the U.S. Marshals Service. Officials stated that Outen-Fleming initially attempted to conceal his identity upon arrest. He is currently being held at a juvenile detention center and awaits extradition back to Philadelphia to face charges. A deputy commissioner with the Philadelphia Police Department confirmed that Outen-Fleming faces a murder charge.
Warrants were issued earlier this week for both Outen-Fleming and 16-year-old Kaiseem Smith, who is also implicated in the shooting death and has not yet been apprehended. Smith remains at large as of this report.
Tragic Robbery Led to Student's Death
The incident that led to Schmidt's death occurred in Philadelphia on June 6, around 1:30 a.m. The 22-year-old student was fatally wounded during what authorities describe as an armed robbery attempt.
Responding officers discovered Schmidt with a gunshot wound to his chest. He was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries shortly after the shooting. Surveillance video captured key moments of the event.
In the footage, Schmidt can be heard demanding the return of his phone just before a gunshot rings out. The video then shows a cellphone being thrown, followed by an individual fleeing around a corner. Schmidt is seen pursuing the individual before he is shot in the chest.
Remembering Billy Schmidt
Billy Schmidt, who was studying journalism at Penn State, was on track to graduate in December. His father, Bill Schmidt, recounted that his son had been returning home from a bar where he watched the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs with friends.
Speaking about his son, Bill Schmidt remarked, "He was a really good person who cared about everybody and never hurt or bothered a soul, never bothered anyone and for him to get shot like that is a travesty." He also expressed his surprise at his son's actions, stating, "I'm shocked when they stole his phone that he chased them."
