Erie police charge 17-year-old as adult in reported robbery and shooting in December

Erie police have charged an Erie teenager as an adult in a reported robbery and shooting that wounded a 25-year-old man in early December.

Police on Wednesday filed charges including first-degree felony counts of aggravated assault and robbery against 17-year-old Aaron J. Raiford Jr. in the Dec. 5 incident, which happened in the 300 block of East 23rd Street.

Erie police said they learned of the shooting when the 25-year-old walked into UPMC Hamot for treatment of a gunshot wound to the arm.

More: Erie police investigating after man shows up at UPMC Hamot with gunshot wound to the arm

The investigating detective wrote in the criminal complaint filed against Raiford that the victim told police he met with Raiford to sell Raiford something. The victim said Raiford took him to the front door of a residence as the victim awaited to get paid, and as they stood on the front porch Raiford attempted to rob him and pulled out a gun, the detective wrote in the complaint's affidavit of probable cause.

The victim said he told Raiford he had nothing, and as he attempted to get away Raiford shot him in the right arm, according to information in the affidavit.

Erie police charged Raiford in the shooting as an adult under the Fisher Bill, a state law that permits juveniles accused of committing violent crime to be charged as adults.

Police took Raiford into custody early Thursday afternoon. He was later arraigned by Erie 2nd Ward District Judge Ed Wilson, who set Raiford's bond at $100,000. Raiford was placed in the Edmund L. Thomas Adolescent Center following his arraignment and is tentatively scheduled to appear in court for his preliminary hearing on Feb. 12, according to court records.

Contact Tim Hahn at thahn@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNhahn.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie police charge 17-year-old boy as adult in December shooting