Scranton teen charged with criminal homicide in April fatal shooting

Scranton police charged a teenage suspect in an April fatal shooting with criminal homicide, amending charges originally filed last month.

Police said Kenneth Tapia, 17, of North Main Avenue, shot Robert Raheem Dawson multiple times April 9 after a group viciously beat the victim at Weston Field’s basketball courts. Dawson, 32, was later pronounced dead at Geisinger Community Medical Center.

Tapia, a known gang member who has remained in Lackawanna County Prison without bail since his arrest last month, now faces charges of criminal homicide, tampering with evidence, receiving stolen property and a pair of felony gun counts, police said in a news release.

The shooting, the latest in a pattern of gang-related violence in the city, followed a fight at the Weston Field basketball courts. A caller told police that one person, later identified as Dawson, was being attacked by numerous others.

The crowd dispersed and ran toward Providence Road when police arrived, while Dawson got in a vehicle headed west on Providence. Officers heard gunshots moments later and found Dawson on the side of the road with multiple bullet wounds to his chest that proved fatal.

Lackawanna County Coroner Tim Rowland ruled the death a homicide.

Surveillance footage investigators recovered showed Tapia firing three shots before Dawson fell motionless, police wrote in charging documents. Tapia was captured on earlier video with a handgun with rubber bands wrapped around the grip tucked into his waistband.

Tapia fled the shooting scene and ultimately discarded the gun on Curtis Lane when he saw a marked state police vehicle, police said.

Investigators recovered the gun, a Glock 19 Gen 3 9mm with a 30-round extended magazine and rubber bands wrapped around the grip. The hollow-point ammunition it contained matched shell casings found at the shooting scene.

Video footage also captured Tapia and three unnamed witnesses of the shooting upon their arrival at Tapia's home. A distraught-looking Tapia sat down on his rear porch steps, removed his mask, put his hands on his head and vomited, charging documents note.

With police then on scene, Tapia entered the residence and remained inside for an extended period despite officers repeatedly calling for him to come out. He was wearing different clothes when he finally surrendered, but the clothes worn during the shooting were later recovered from a laundry basket inside the home, police said.

Tapia was previously adjudicated delinquent for possession of a firearm by a minor stemming from a different shooting at Weston Field, police wrote in an affidavit. He is not able legally to possess a firearm and did not have a concealed carry license.

The gun used to kill Dawson had been reported stolen from an Old Forge residence in October.

Police also arrested and charged several others stemming from the investigation, including Keenan Ford, 18, and three juveniles ages 17, 16 and 15.

Ford, who could be seen on police surveillance video running with Tapia toward the area where Dawson was shot, faces a felony charge of hindering prosecution and other criminal counts. He remains in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $500,000 bail.

Police charged the 17-year-old with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, tampering with evidence, evading arrest on foot, simple assault and riot. The 16-year-old and the 15-year-old were both charged with simple assault and riot.

All three juveniles were previously adjudicated delinquent in the Lackawanna County Juvenile Probation System and placed on house arrest. Detention was not approved due to lack of housing.

The investigation is ongoing and arrests may be forthcoming, police said.