For the second time in three years, a person was pistol whipped during a fight outside of the Oakwood Park Apartments on East Third Street in Lansdale while the Saint Stan’s Summer Festival was being held nearby.
According to court documents, Lansdale Borough Police were dispatched to the 400 block of East Third Street at 9:14 p.m. on Aug. 11 for a report of a fight in progress as well as a report of a male carrying a firearm. Upon arrival, police spoke with 19-year-old Aaron Simpson-Harris Jr., who told police that someone had been pistol whipped and ran towards Penndale Middle School, police said.
The report states police observed blood stains on Simpson-Harris’ white hoodie, however Simpson-Harris allegedly claimed the blood landed on his shirt after his friend had a seizure on the ground.
One week later, the juvenile victim came forward stating he had been pistol whipped during a large fight that had occurred in front of the Oakwood Park Apartments. The victim told police he had been standing with friends when a group of approximately 10 people approached them, including a man matching the description of Simpson-Harris, who pointed a gun at the victim and said, "Don’t make me use this,” according to charging documents.
Simpson-Harris then allegedly struck the victim in the side of the head with his handgun, police said, causing an open wound with a large amount of bleeding.
The victim later selected Simpson-Harris from a photo lineup, stating he was 80% sure it was the same person, police said. The report also notes a witness later came forward providing a description that matched what Simpson-Harris was wearing when he spoke to police on the night of the fight.
On Aug. 31, investigators executed a search warrant on Simpson-Harris’ home along the 200 block of East Third Street and allegedly located a 9mm ghost gun with a flashlight and laser attached in Simpson-Harris’ bedroom, police said. Police also located various amounts of psilocybin mushrooms, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia in the bedroom, according to the complaint.
As a result of the investigation, Simpson-Harris has been charged with felony counts of aggravated assault with extreme indifference and firearms not to be carried without a license, along with misdemeanor counts of simple assault, possession of an instrument of crime, reckless endangerment, and possession of a controlled substance. He’s currently being held at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in lieu of $10,000 cash bail while awaiting his preliminary hearing on Sept. 13.
The alleged assault is the second such incident in three years to occur at Oakwood Gardens while the Saint Stan’s Summer Festival was occurring.
On Aug. 10, 2021, then 16-year-old Marquis Smith, of Lansdale, pistol whipped a man outside of the apartment complex who was walking home from the festival with his girlfriend. The victim suffered an orbital fracture, traumatic injury of the head, facial laceration, facial contusion, and multiple abrasions as a result of the assault, which ultimately led to Smith being charged as an adult.
Smith pleaded guilty to the assault in June and was sentenced to 2 to 4 years in state prison.
A second teen – then-17-year-old Terhan Wright, of Lansdale — was also charged as an adult in connection with the 2021 assault, and investigators said there were other juvenile suspects involved however they were unable to identify them.
Wright recently pleaded guilty to a felony count of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and a misdemeanor count of simple assault, and is awaiting sentencing which is scheduled for Sept. 19.
When asked about last month’s assault, police said it was unclear if the group of 10 that included Simpson-Harris was coming-from or going-to the summer festival, while also leaving open the possibility that the group was just hanging out at Oakwood Gardens prior to the alleged incident.
Police said two juvenile suspects were also arrested in connection with the most recent assault, however information pertaining to those arrests is not made public.
There is no connection between the suspects and victim from the 2021 incident to the one that occurred last month, according to police.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using police reports, court records and the affidavit of probable cause.
See also:
Three Men from Hatfield, Lansdale Accused of Manufacturing and Trafficking Ghost Guns and Silencers
Souderton Man Arrested After Committing Two More Burglaries While Out on Bail, Police Say
Souderton Woman Accused of Stealing Nearly $20,000 from Bank Account Belonging to Elderly Relative
