NBC 10’s Deanna Durante, left, questions 25-year-old Kashaan Moses, center left, as he turns himself in to the Upper Gwynedd Police Department on May
UPDATE: May 19, 12:07 p.m. - Upper Gwynedd Police Chief David Duffy said that should the victim die as a result of the shooting, investigators will pursue upgraded charges against Moses.
Duffy confirmed that Moses had not taken any firearm safety courses prior to purchasing the Glock 17.
Kashaan Moses, 25, was charged on May 12 with one felony count of aggravated assault – attempts to cause serious bodily injury with extreme indifference, along with misdemeanor counts of simple assault and reckless endangerment, in connection with the April 10 shooting in Upper Gwynedd Township.
Moses turned himself in to Upper Gwynedd Police on Wednesday morning.
According to the criminal complaint, police were dispatched to a home along the 600 block of Rosemont Avenue in Upper Gwynedd at 8:03 a.m. on April 10 for a report of a shooting. Police said the home is operated as a community living and home support site for adults with special needs, and is owned by Jewish Employment and Vocation Services (JEVS).
Upon arrival, police found a caregiver — identified as Moses — flagging them down and directing them to an elderly gunshot wound victim who was seated in a chair in the front room of the home, according to the criminal complaint. The victim was unresponsive and had been struck by a single bullet just below his left eye, police said. The victim was treated on scene by emergency medical personnel, then transported via ambulance to Abington Memorial Hospital and later Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia for treatment.
The report states that in both the 9-1-1 call and statements made at the scene, Moses said the shooting was unintentional.
In an interview with investigators, Moses stated that he arrived at the home at 11 p.m. on April 9 to begin his overnight shift. Upon arrival, Moses said he brought his newly purchased Glock 17 9mm handgun and holster into the home because he didn’t want to leave the gun in the car overnight and he wanted to adjust the holster, the report states.
The following morning, towards the end of his shift, Moses said he was sitting on the couch watching TV with the victim while also attempting to unload the firearm, the report states. Moses said that as he racked the slide back to ensure no round was in the chamber, the firearm discharged and struck the victim, according to the complaint.
Moses told investigators that he did not believe that he pulled the trigger, but he could not provide any other viable reason for the discharge, the report states.
As a result of the incident, the victim remains hospitalized at this time, and has since had his left eye surgically removed. The victim also required a stent being placed in his carotid artery and he has suffered both an aneurysm and a stroke, according to the complaint.
Medical staff told police that all of the injuries were a direct result of the shooting. The victim will likely require nursing home care for the remainder of his life, the report states.
Records indicate that Moses obtained a permit to carry a concealed firearm in Philadelphia on Feb. 25, then purchased the Glock 17 firearm on April 3. Moses told investigators that he had only shot a gun one time — more than a year prior to the shooting, the report states. Moses added that he had not undergone any firearm safety courses prior to the April 10 incident, according to the report.
Representatives from JEVS said there were no prior complaints about Moses’ behavior. They also confirmed that they was a “no weapons” policy, which Moses was aware of having signed the form during his employment orientation in April 2014, according to the complaint.
Moses was arraigned on Wednesday by Magisterial District Judge Suzan Leonard, who set bail at $25,000 unsecured along with the requirement that Moses surrenders all firearms. He was then released from custody, and his next court appearance is a preliminary hearing on June 3 at 12:45 p.m. in front of Judge Leonard.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using court records and the affidavit of probable cause.
See also:
Man Charged With Homicide By Vehicle In Fatal Crash On Dekalb Pike, Victim Identified
Intoxicated Chipotle Employee Arrested After Waiving Knife At Staff And Customers, Police Say
Convicted Murderer Had Handgun In Vehicle During Traffic Stop On Skippack Pike, Police Say
Intoxicated Bucks County Man Accused Of Shooting Dog, Burning It On Grill, Police Say
