Teen Arrested in Connection with Penn State Student’s Shooting Death
A Philadelphia teen, wanted for the shooting death of Penn State student Billy Schmidt, has been captured after being found at a relative’s home across the country. The search lasted nearly a month.
Sixteen-year-old Azbaia Auten Fleming was apprehended by the U.S. Marshals Service Colorado Violent Offender Task Force in Colorado Springs on Wednesday, despite her efforts to conceal her identity, according to the Marshals Service.
Fleming, along with another teen, 16-year-old Kaiseem Smith, were identified as the individuals accused of fatally ambushing Schmidt on a street in South Philadelphia around 1:30 a.m. on June 6.
Hours after Auten Fleming was detained, her stepfather, Donte Abdulmalik, was arrested on suspicion of aiding her escape from the East Coast to a safe house in Colorado.
At the time of the incident, Schmidt was returning home from an NBA Finals viewing party when he encountered Auten Fleming and Smith.
District Attorney Larry Krasner reported that Auten Fleming allegedly took Schmidt’s cell phone, punched him, and searched his pockets.
Video footage captured the two masked suspects confronting Schmidt, pushing him off the road and knocking him down before departing.
Schmidt, who had just finished his junior year at Penn State University, reportedly chased after the suspects, pleading for the return of his phone. Auten Fleming discarded it onto the street.
As Schmidt continued his pursuit, he and Smith split up. Smith is accused of pulling out a gun and shooting Schmidt in the chest.
After the shooting, the suspects fled the scene in an SUV.
Schmidt was rushed to Pennsylvania Presbyterian Medical Center but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Abdulmalik, 35, is charged with hindering apprehension, obstruction of justice, and tampering with evidence for allegedly helping transport his son-in-law from Philadelphia to Colorado.
Auten Fleming faces charges including murder, robbery, and conspiracy to commit murder and is currently held at the Zebulon Pike Youth Center, awaiting extradition to Philadelphia.
Meanwhile, Smith, who is notably shorter at 4 feet 10 inches, remains at large. Authorities are offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to his capture.
Prosecutors have indicated that both teens face serious charges. Before the arrests, Schmidt’s father called for justice, expressing a desire to see the suspects held accountable. “I want to find them and make them pay,” he said.
Schmidt, who was studying digital journalism and media at Penn State World Campus, is remembered by his family for his kindness and gentle nature. His father described him as someone who would never hurt anyone, emphasizing how tragic it was for him to lose his life in such a senseless act.
