Interviews with friends and family point to a chaotic life for TJ, the 12-year-old shot and killed earlier this month by a Philly police officer.
By December 2016, Thomas “TJ” Siderio already had more days behind him than ahead. He still believed in Santa Claus.
Be on the lookout, they advised, for an 11-year-old with short brown hair and a small scar on his right cheek. He was 4-foot-9 and 98 pounds at the time. “He had a tendency to follow the wrong kind of kids,” said Terry Elnicki-Varela, who works in special education and started helping TJ at school three years ago. “He was no angel. Far from it.”
“It won’t seem right walking down the block without you popping out of nowhere saying ‘Yo, gang,’” one relative wrote online after TJ’s passing. Mark Nasuti, a family friend who sometimes looked after the boy, expressed shock that TJ had ever gotten mixed up with guns. Nasuti recalled being contacted by police after a group of kids had called a pizza shop and mugged a delivery worker. Cops said that they had used Nasuti’s phone number to order the pizza and suspected his number had been spoofed. Nasuti knew better.
Social media, however, provides another perspective. Like many adolescents, TJ seemed to sprout physically almost overnight and was itching to prove he was mature and could hang with his older crew. Video and audio recordings obtained by The Inquirer show that the Taurus 9-millimeter that police say TJ tossed was. Siderio Sr.’s attorney, Conor Corcoran, has said he is not aware of any definitive evidence that TJ fired the gun.
Mongeluzzi said that the initial reporting on the shooting appears to be damning for the Philadelphia Police Department but that there are still many unanswered questions.In a statement issued through Mongeluzzi on Friday, Frame said: “I love my son and his death is a tragedy that has left a hole in my heart. While TJ may have had challenges in his life, he was a loving son and friend who did not deserve to be gunned down in the back while unarmed.
Argentina Últimas Noticias, Argentina Titulares
Similar News:También puedes leer noticias similares a ésta que hemos recopilado de otras fuentes de noticias.
The short, tumultuous life of Thomas “TJ” SiderioFriend to some, menace to others, the 12-year-old was a South Philly nomad with a chaotic home life. He chose the wrong path, and didn't live long enough to turn things around.
Leer más »
Judge denies Fairfax schools’ request to leave current TJ admissions policy in place for nowJudge Claude M. Hilton said switching to a new admissions cycle for the Class of 2026 — which is already well into the application process — will cause only 'some minor inconvenience.'
Leer más »
The short, tumultuous life of Thomas “TJ” SiderioFriend to some, menace to others, the 12-year-old was a South Philly nomad with a chaotic home life. He chose the wrong path, and didn't live long enough to turn things around.
Leer más »
It’s not enough to say ‘society failed’ when a child is killed by police | Helen UbiñasBy saying 'society failed' TJ Siderio, Philly's leaders are abdicating their responsibility to prevent future killings.
Leer más »
Senate candidate Jeff Bartos makes stop in central PennsylvaniaBartos hits Cumberland County to help launch his friend Thomas Kutz' state House candidacy.
Leer más »
I'll Fly Away: “Sister” Bobbie Nelson Passes on at Age 91Soul of Willie Nelson & Family, Bobbie Nelson called the piano her 'truest friend.'
Leer más »