A Philadelphia 16-year-old, he was being indicted on several counts of violent crimes relating to the murder of local rapper Abdul Vicks-aka YBC Dul. Many were shocked by the arrest of Aiden Waters, given the charges brought against such a young boy.
In all, Waters was indicted on two counts of murder, six counts of attempted murder, eight counts of aggravated assault, and nine separate counts of firearms violations. The string of violent incidents unfolded over the last several months in different parts of Philadelphia, leaving two dead and several others injured.
Most notably, 23-year-old Abdul Vicks was one of them-a rising rap artist from West Philadelphia; his local fanbase knew him as YBC Dul. Further to Vicks’ death, Waters is accused of involvement in a separate fatal shooting in East Duncannon Street where a 16-year-old was killed.
Of those, the most harrowing happened along the 3300 block of North Fairhill Street in North Philadelphia, where Waters allegedly shot Vicks. The sound of several shots was heard along with screams ringing from the scene, according to witnesses who said a number of passersby intervened to help the rapper. Vicks, who was known as a popular figure in the local hip-hop community, was mortally wounded by the time police responding to the scene arrived. While investigators have yet to establish the motive, they said the shooting may have been gang-related.
Within days, another tragedy occurred on East Duncannon Street. This incident involved a 16-year-old boy, who has not been named due to his age, in another altercation where he was shot and killed. Since this has happened in a similarly related situation, this is the second murder that can be attributed to Waters in this extremely short length of time. Eventually, police put together evidence that linked Waters to both murders and several other shootings throughout the city.
Authorities have surmised that violent behavior on the part of Waters may be due to an affiliation to a street gang known as Fastbreak-one with which law enforcement has been keeping tabs on for months, in connection with various types of criminal activities, including drugs, gun violence, and retaliatory shootings.
It is still hazy how fully involved Waters was with Fastbreak, but police sources have demonstrated that he had a relationship with them, which would have factored into his decision-making. Gang culture has been a problem for decades in parts of Philadelphia, where individuals like Waters are subject at a particularly impressionable age to lives filled with violence.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner spoke with the public after Water’s arrest, speaking to the severity of the charges and the encapsulating toll from violence within the community.
“These are terrible crimes committed against members of our community, including the murder of an innocent young man with his whole future ahead of him,”
Krasner said.
The senseless violence we see often at the hands of teenagers who themselves are victims of broader societal failures underscores the pressing need for comprehensive solutions.
Aiden Waters is still awaiting trial as the community remains in mourning for lives lost-most especially of rising rapper YBC Dul, who had once been viewed as a beacon of hope to scores in West Philadelphia. A case that keeps pointing at the meeting point of youth, crime, and systemic neglect, it also begs the questions of what could have been done differently to avoid this tragedy.
