Witnesses: Organizer was target in soccer tournament shooting

WILMINGTON, Del. - July 9, 2012 (WPVI) -- Witnesses say the 47-year-old founder of a soccer tournament was the target in a shooting that also killed a 16-year-old boy Sunday afternoon in Wilmington, Delaware.

Police were called at 2:32 p.m. Sunday for the report of a shooting at Eden Park, located on New Castle Avenue. Responding officers found three victims having sustained gunshot wounds.

16-year-old Alexander Kamara of Pike Creek sustained a gunshot wound to the head and 47-year-old Herman Curry of New Castle was shot in the chest. Both died Sunday night at the hospital.

Family and friends tell Action News Alex Kamara was a straight 'A' student at A.I. Dupont High School and played numerous sports.

His father, Alexander Kamara Sr., says it's difficult to express how proud he was of the son he lost this past weekend.

"My son was a wonderful son," Kamara Sr. said.

A family friend says Alex was looking forward to Sunday's tournament and was standing by waiting his turn to play when he was shot.

On Monday night, published reports quote witnesses saying the intended target was the other person who was killed - Herman Curry.

Curry was the founder of the Marcus Garvey Soccer Tournament. This was the 16th year for the growing event, which attracted Jamaican teams from Delaware, New York, New Jersey and Maryland.

Curry was the father of six. Family and friends are baffled as to why he was an apparent target for a trio of gunmen who suddenly attacked.

"That's probably the most mystifying part, because he was so well-loved by everyone," said family friend Dr. Alison Allen.

But those witnesses are quoted saying Curry was a witness to a murder four years ago, allegedly committed by one of the men who gunned him down yesterday.

That suspect is identified as 34-year-old Otis Phillips of New Castle.

Three of the suspected gunmen fled the scene in a car but crashed at C Street and New Castle Avenue. Two of the suspects fled the scene of the crash, but the one that remained had sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was later pronounced dead at Christiana Hospital. He was identified as 43-year-old Sheldon Olge of Maryland.

Police quickly caught up to the other two suspects. Otis Phillips was apprehended by a K-9 unit in a vacant lot located at B and Bradford Streets. The second suspect, 22-year-old Jeffrey Phillips of Wilmington, had sustained a gunshot wound to the leg during the park shootout and was apprehended after fleeing the scene. Both are charged with first degree murder, attempted murder, conspiracy and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Police say Otis Phillips was also wanted by Wilmington Police for a homicide that occurred back on January 27, 2008. The victim in that case, 40-year-old Chris Palmer, was shot at 1205 N. Locust Street. Phillips is now facing a number of charges, including first degree murder, in relation to this case.

But Mr. Kamara finds no comfort in the fact that all three suspects were found or in the fact that his son was an innocent victim.

"My attention is not out there. I'm not listening to nobody at this time. All my attention is to see that my child's funeral goes through," Kamara Sr. said.

A 34-year-old man from Baltimore was also shot. He sustained a gunshot wound to the shoulder. He was taken to the hospital where he was treated and released.

Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to contact Wilmington police at 302-576-3647.

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