District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan, Allentown police Chief Charles Roca, Palmer Township police and Wilson Borough police announced three arrests in a shooting investigation June 24. All three defendants are minors who are charged as adults for the incident that occurred Dec. 7, 2024, in Allentown. Charges were not filed until recently due to the complex and lengthy investigation involving multiple agencies, according to the news release from the district attorney’s office.

Naseer Washington, 16, of Whitehall; Marquee Bradley Carney, 16, of Allentown; and Amir Sims-Watson, 17, of Easton, are all charged with aggravated assault, a felony of the first degree; discharge of a firearm into an occupied structure, a felony of the third degree; and simple assault, possession of a firearm by a minor and reckless endangerment, misdemeanor charges.

Sims-Watson is also charged with robbery of a motor vehicle and robbery, both felonies of the first degree; receiving stolen property, a felony of the third degree; and misdemeanor charges of theft by unlawful taking and unauthorized use of motor/other vehicles.

The preliminary hearings for all three defendants had not yet been scheduled, per Holihan.

An arrest warrant has been filed for Washington, who is already in custody on another matter. Sims-Watson and Carney are both in Lehigh County Jail. Sims-Watson’s bail is $200,000 and Carney’s bail is $150,000.

Allentown police were called to the area of North Ninth and Allen streets 4:37 p.m. Dec. 7, 2024, for a reported shooting. Officers arrived on scene and found dozens of shell casings in various calibers.

Video surveillance from a nearby location showed the suspect vehicle involved a black Jeep Cherokee that had been reported stolen from Nazareth. That video also showed one person hanging out the passenger side of the Jeep window with an AR-style pistol firing numerous rounds at people walking along the street.

A person identified as Sims-Watson exited the Jeep and also began firing a gun at pedestrians in the area. During the shooting, multiple occupied structures were damaged by gunfire.

A short time later, a victim with a gunshot wound arrived at an area hospital. His name will not be released to protect his identity and in case of possible retaliation.

Shortly after the shootings, Allentown police were then called to the area of Trexler Middle School, 851 N. 15th St., for a reported carjacking that had just occurred. The carjacking victim told police she had been removing items from the trunk of her car when a person later identified as Sims-Watson approached her, pointed a weapon and demanded her keys and phone.

The investigation revealed Sims-Watson stole the victim’s phone and 2017 Nissan Pathfinder.

The stolen Nissan Pathfinder was later located in Wilson Borough. Inside that stolen vehicle, police found weapon shell casings and a cellphone that did not belong to the vehicle owner. That cellphone was later determined to belong to Sims-Watson’s brother and included messages and photos about the Allentown shooting that had occurred as well as the carjacking.

During the investigation, it was determined on Dec. 7, 2024, Palmer Township police were involved with a stolen vehicle and a group of people who were charged with various gun offenses.

One of those weapons seized by Palmer Township police was later determined to be the AR-style pistol that was used in the Allentown shootings, as well as the carjacking.

This case was investigated by Allentown police Officers Jonathan Manning and Kyle French, as well as Lehigh County Auto Theft Task Force, with assistance from Lehigh County Regional Intelligence and Investigation Center. The cases will be prosecuted by Chief Deputy District Attorneys Christine F. Murphy and David J. Mussel.