Who is Kimbrady Carriker? Philadelphia shooting suspect identified as gunman kills five near Kingsessing

On the eve of the 4th of July, Philadelphia shooting suspect Kimbrady Carriker allegedly killed five males and injured two children during a mass shooting incident. As per Opoyi, while the suspect has been identified by many sources as biologically male, she is a transgender woman and Black Lives Matter activist who is known for her involvement in various political rallies. Carriker was arrested shortly after the slayings.

Trigger warning: This article concerns a mass shooting incident, reader discretion is advised.

According to The Inquirer, the ages of the deceased victims involved in the shooting ranged from 16 to 59, who included -- Lashyd Merritt (20), Dymir Stanton (29), Ralph Moralis (59), Daujan Brown (15), and Joseph Wamah, Jr. (31). The names of the children remain undisclosed due to their age. Authorities have not discussed any potential connections between Kimbrady Carriker and her supposed victims.

---

All there is to know about Kimbrady Carriker

40-year-old Kimbrady Carriker is known for her involvement in the left wing protest scene in Philadelphia. In 2021, she shared a home with Tina Rosette on Belmar Terrace. The former described Carriker as a talented computer programmer who was known for her intelligence and creativity.

The suspect's social media pages indicate that she was a supporter of Black Lives Matter and various other civil rights related movement. Authorities have not discussed whether the attack was motivated by her political leanings.

Cianni, the 24-year-old daughter of Rosette, mentioned that she was surprised by Carriker's shocking use of violence. However, she acknowledged that the suspect would often become aggressive in certain situations.

Rosette mentioned that Carriker often taught self defense to young people, but that these lessons often encouraged violence, despite her purported claims that they were aimed at defusing situations. The suspect had also reportedly begun to show a developing interest in firearms.

"(Carriker) was trying to get me comfortable around guns and stuff like that," Cianni Rosette said.

The New York Post reported that in 2003, Carriker had been arrested for possession of a weapon without a license, carrying a firearm in public, and drug possession. The suspect eventually pleaded guilty to carrying a firearm without a license. Cianni Rosette said, however, that she had never seen the shooting suspect casually carry around a gun.

On July 3, 2023, Kimbrady Carriker is said to have begun the rampage in the middle of the street. Authorities stated that the suspect was armed with a rifle, pistol, extra magazines, a police scanner, and bullet proof vest. Carriker reportedly shot four of the victims dead in the street, before chasing the last man down and killing him in his home. The injured children included a 2-year-old and a 13-year-old, both of whom were shot in their legs.

The case currently remains under police investigation.