PHILADELPHIA – Three men have been convicted and sentenced in connection with a 2023 quadruple shooting that left three people dead near a North Philadelphia playground, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
What we know:
At a news conference on Oct. 22, investigators announced the convictions of Tyyon Bates, Quaza Lopez and Eric Reid.
Each defendant was found guilty of:
- Three counts of first-degree murder
- Conspiracy to commit murder
- Firearms violations
- Four counts of recklessly endangering another person, tied to young children — all under age 6 — seen running from the gunfire.
Police recovered 107 pieces of ballistic evidence from the scene of the shooting, which happened near a North Philadelphia recreation center. Surveillance video from the center provided key leads that helped detectives identify suspects and begin the investigation.
Bates was captured earlier this year after being on the run for 18 months. He was arrested by U.S. Marshals on March 31, 2025, ending a lengthy search.
At sentencing, all three men received three consecutive life sentences, followed by 24 to 48 years in state correctional institutions.
Officials noted that the investigation remains active, with future arrests expected.
Additional details
Investigators revealed that Quaza Lopez was on house arrest at the time of the murders and was wearing an ankle monitor. However, officials said adult house-arrest devices in Philadelphia do not have real-time tracking capability, meaning law enforcement was not alerted to his movements during the crime.
The backstory:
The shooting happened on Friday, Aug. 11, 2023, around 6 p.m. near a playground at 8th and Diamond streets in North Philadelphia, according to police.
Investigators said the gunfire erupted on the basketball court at the recreation area when several shooters got out of a car and opened fire on a group of people playing basketball.
Police identified the victims as:
- 22-year-old Nyreese Moore, who was shot multiple times in the head and pronounced dead at the scene.
- 24-year-old Naasir Folk, who was also shot in the head and killed.
- 21-year-old Isiah Williams, who was struck three times, was placed in extremely critical condition, and later died from his injuries.
- A 23-year-old man who was shot in the stomach and survived.
At the time, Philadelphia Police Captain James Kelly described the shooting as a brazen attack in a crowded public space.
“Multiple shooters came off of Darien Street, went in the playground and fired eastbound at a group of males playing basketball,” Kelly said in 2023. “They were playing basketball, so they were all in close proximity, and they just started firing. We’re lucky we don’t have more people shot.”
The case led to a months-long investigation that eventually identified and charged several suspects in connection with the killings.
What’s next:
Authorities say detectives continue to pursue additional suspects connected to the 2023 shooting. The case remains under investigation by the Philadelphia Police Department’s Homicide Unit.
The Source: This information comes from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, the Philadelphia Police Department and previous FOX 29 Philadelphia reporting.
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