The Philadelphia man who admitted to fatally shooting an 11-year-old riding a scooter in the Northeast five years ago has been sentenced to at least ten years in prison.
Harley Belance was riding a motorized scooter down McKinley Street in Oxford Circle in March 2021 when a 14-year-old pal who was fighting with a group of other kids got on board. Khaleek Baldwin “inserted himself,” according to authorities, and fired numerous shots along the busy home street.
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Belance, 11, was wounded in the back, while his friend was hit in the arm and leg.
Belance died in his friend’s arms. Prosecutors claimed it was a case of “wrong place, wrong time.”
His mother wrote a note saying her boy enjoyed playing basketball and riding bikes, and that his grin brightened the room.
She claims her son frequently commented, “Mommy, every time I smile, I get something for free.”
Prosecutors told the court that after his death, the family relocated to Florida, where their other son was slain.
Baldwin, who is now 24 years old, apologized to the family and stated that he understands it is insufficient, but he is not a monster or a nasty guy. Prosecutors described a violent background, including nearly a dozen prison violations for fighting.
Judge Scott O’Keefe sentenced Baldwin to 15 to 40 years in prison and required anger management programs, vocational training, and mental health care.
