2 men charged in deadly shooting outside Lower Nazareth shopping center
Nine months after a fatal shooting in a crowded Lower Nazareth Township shopping center parking lot, authorities announced charges against two Harrisburg men.
One is in custody, and one is at large and considered armed and dangerous, Northampton County District Attorney Terence Houck announced at a Friday morning news conference.
Houck said Jakiye Taylor, 18, and Kevin Littles, 22, are facing homicide and related charges in connection with the Aug. 8, 2021, shooting at Lower Nazareth Commons, which is home to Target and a Burlington Coat Factory, among other stores.
Taylor was arrested and arraigned Thursday, but Littles is a fugitive on the run, Houck said.
Elijah Johnson, 20, was shot in the head and shoulder during what Houck described as a drug deal that turned into an attempted robbery. Johnson fell from the passenger’s side of a Buick Regal parked in the back of the shopping center parking lot and was later pronounced dead.
Jayzell Sanders, 23, was wounded as the gunfire erupted and was later found bleeding in front of the Target store.
According to Houck, Sanders told police that Johnson contacted him earlier that day and requested that Sanders go with him to an outlet store in Monroe County, where both men lived, but they instead detoured to the Target where the shooting occurred.
Sanders said that Johnson was armed with a Smith &
Wesson .22 caliber handgun, and when he parked the car two men entered the rear of their vehicle. Sanders determined Johnson was there to sell drugs and said he was instructed to retrieve a black bag from the trunk which he believed contained what authorities said was five pounds of marijuana.
According to Sanders, he gave the bag to the two men in the back of the car. He said they both pulled out handguns and pointed them. Johnson began to wrestle with one of the men, while Sanders got out of the car and began to run toward the Target.
Sanders claimed one of the men exited the vehicle and began to shoot at him, so he returned fire with his own weapon, which was later found near the entrance to the store. Houck said Sanders was charged with reckless endangerment and carrying a firearm without a license. He is free on bail while awaiting trial.
Houck said Taylor and Littles fled with four of the five pounds of marijuana. Police found the other pound in the car, along with a handgun and ammunition.
A forensic exam of Johnson’s cell phone, which included texts and messages
on the Snapchat app, led police to Taylor and Littles and the men were further tied to the crimes by DNA evidence, Houck said, noting how crucial phones are to investigations.
“You provide me with your cell phone and I can tell you what kind of person you are,” he said. “You live on your phone.”
Houck would not say how the men originally came into contact with each other.
Houck credited Colonial Regional police, state police and county detectives for an “exhaustive” ninemonth investigation. Officials “worked literally every day on this case,” he said. “We’re closer to justice being served.”
Taylor is behind bars in Monroe County without bail. He and Littles face life in prison if convicted, Houck said.
Authorities from several jurisdictions, including the U.S. Marshals Service, continue to look for Littles, who is considered a fugitive. Anyone with information is asked to contact Colonial Regional Police through their Facebook page or by calling 610-861-4820.
“I’m 100% confident they’ll get him,” Houck said.