Cousin arrested for murder of community activist Gregory Scott
Two people were taken into custody Thursday night and charged with the murder of 55-year-old community activist Gregory Scott.
Scott’s cousin, 47-year-old James Scott, and a second man, 25-year-old James Hiller, were arrested in connection with the crime.
Both men were arraigned shortly after 5:15 a.m. Friday morning and are charged with murder, conspiracy and firearms offenses. They are both being held without bail and are next due in court on March 20 for a preliminary hearing.
James Scott has a lengthy rap sheet that includes several jail stints and convictions for drug possession, carrying unlicensed firearms and robbery. Hiller in July of 2011 pleaded guilty to carrying unlicensed firearms and carrying firearms in public without a permit. He was sentenced to two to four years in prison.
Police said James and Gregory Scott became involved in a fight Wednesday night, less than an hour before the shooting. James Scott allegedly laid in wait, then ambushed the victim around 10:15 p.m. as he returned home from work.
Gregory Scott was shot in the head and chest just steps away from his home on the 200 block of South Millick Street in the Cobbs Creek section of West Philadelphia. He died on the scene.
City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, who knew Scott through his youth advocacy work with Friends of Malcolm X Park and drill team the Gold Coast Buccaneers, on Thursday mourned the loss of the activist.
“We pray that crimes like this will end so we don’t have to sit here and talk about another loss of life in the city,” she said.
