28°
Victor Bell Jr. is facing a third-degree murder charge in the Jan. 3 shooting death of Diamond Rahatt, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Norristown Police Chief Mark E. Talbot said.
Norristown police responded to 1409 Markley St. around 1:40 p.m. on reports of shots fired, when they found Rahatt in her bedroom with a gunshot wound to her head, authorities said.
She was taken to Paoli Hospital, where she was pronounced dead later that evening, authorities said.
Bell was an apparent longtime friend of Rahatt's, and has posted a video of himself playing with her legally registered gun, a Springfield Arms .40 Caliber firearm, shortly before the incident, police said.
More than $6,100 had been raised on a GoFundMe launched in an effort to raise awareness toward gun violence following Rahatt's death as of Wednesday.
“Diamond Rahatt had her whole life ahead of her -- a life cut short by the reckless handling of a gun," Steele said.
"The death of this young woman is a tragedy, and our hearts and prayers go out to her family.
"The defendant was playing around and taking photos with a loaded gun without any regard for the danger and threat to human life the behavior posed. It was reckless and now a young woman is dead.”
He was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Juanita Price, who denied bail. Bell was being held in Montgomery County Correctional Facility.
Bell is facing charges of murder, possession of an instrument of crime and manslaughter.
A preliminary hearing date for Bell is scheduled for 10 a.m., Jan. 15, before Magisterial District Judge Gregory Scott.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Hamilton Township and receive free news updates.
