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Anthony Alexander Jr: Pennsylvania teen, 17, who saved children from drowning in 2022 fatally shot during social media livestream

Anthony Alexander Jr was fatally shot on the 2400 block of Marshall Road after a gun accidentally discharged

UPPER DARBY, PENNSYLVANIA: A teenager was tragically shot and killed over the weekend just months after he was hailed as a hero for rescuing children from an icy pond. Anthony Alexander Jr, 17, was shot on the 2400 block of Marshall Road after a gun allegedly accidentally discharged while being passed around by a group of boys during an Instagram live stream.

Alexander's heartbroken family is mourning the Delaware County teenager when they should be celebrating his life. The high school junior was reportedly starting to seriously consider joining the army and was getting accolades from local, state and national officials for his role in saving the children's lives in February 2022 after they fell into an icy pond in Collingdale.

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'He had so much to live for'

"By him rescuing those kids, it made his future even brighter," Alexander's devastated father, Anthony Sr, told ABC Action News. He said that his son loved sports and video games, and aspired to become a Marine someday. "He had so much to live for. He had so much to live for," Anthony Sr added. Jack Stollsteimer, the Delaware County District Attorney, said, "We now have a young man, who as you pointed out, was very heroic last year. He's now dead and you have two families who are dealing with the tragedy." Authorities believe a stray bullet struck the boy and he succumbed to his injuries. Witnesses and the shooter initially ran away from the scene but were eventually tracked down by police. The shooter, identified as 16-year-old Diamire Hickman, turned himself in on Monday, January 30. He is reportedly being tried as an adult and faces charges including third-degree murder.

"Why were these teenage children, why were they able to get their hands on these guns?" Stollsteimer wondered as police continued their investigation.

Meanwhile, the Alexander family is mourning the loss of their youngest child. "Know where your children are and what they're doing in this world, because life is short," Alexander Sr said. "And we are responsible," his wife, Ava, added. The family revealed that the 17-year-old was excited after recently learning he was going to be awarded a civilian award from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society for his role in saving the kids from drowning in the pond, but instead of celebrating his accomplishments, his loved ones are now planning his funeral.

In a letter to families and staffers, the superintendent of the Southeast Delco School District, where Alexander was a student, wrote, "Many of our students, staff, and families knew this student. We are devastated by this loss and are committed to support our school community to the fullest." Investigators working the case said that they were coordinating with the school district and the district attorney's office in their probe.

A hero lost too soon

His family members reportedly confirmed that Alexander was the same teenager who helped rescue three children from an icy pond on Presidents Day in Collingdale in 2022.

Alexander was hanging out with his friends in Collingdale Park around 3 pm on February 21 when he heard screams coming from three children, two girls and a boy, who were drowning in an adjacent pond. "They really needed help. I wasn't going to sit there and let them drown like that," Alexander, who was 16 at the time, told Action News. The teenager first tried using a stick to rescue the children but in vain. He then jumped into the freezing water himself and pulled out the little boy and one of the girls. "It was cold," Alexander said, adding, "Like I was shocked, like my body went into shock." Collingdale Police Sergeant Pat Kilroy and Officer Corey Hansen arrived on the scene moments later and jumped in to rescue the other little girl. All three heroes were honored during a ceremony the following month during a Collingdale Borough Council meeting.

Alexander's parents couldn't help but beam with pride. "He always has the biggest heart in the world and now the world sees that heart," his mother Ava told Action News at the time. "I'm very blessed to have him in my life, very blessed to raise somebody like him," Anthony Sr added. The teenager said that he was contemplating a career in law enforcement following the ordeal at that time.