HARRISBURG, PA — A York County judge on Friday sentenced Elijah Penn, 21, of York, to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2021 fatal shooting of 20-year-old Justin Griffith at a York park, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
Penn was convicted in December 2025 of first-degree murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, and recklessly endangering another person following a jury trial in York County.
The York County Court of Common Pleas also imposed an additional sentence of 21 to 42 years in prison.
According to prosecutors, the shooting occurred in July 2021 at the basketball courts at Cousler Park in York. Investigators said Penn, identified as a gang member, targeted a member of a rival gang and fired as many as 16 shots into a group of people playing basketball.
Griffith was killed in the shooting, and Penn’s intended target was wounded, authorities said.
“Today’s sentencing is a reminder of the destruction caused by senseless gun violence,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said in a statement. “Two families will forever be impacted by this callous and brutal murder. While no sentence can bring Justin back, we hope the closure of the criminal case helps his family heal.”
During the sentencing hearing, Griffith’s mother, Chawna Griffith, addressed the court.
“Justin Gabriel Griffith’s life mattered. He mattered to his family, his community, and to the many people whose lives he touched,” she said. “His legacy lives on through love, memory, and purpose.”
The case was prosecuted by Chief Deputy Attorney General Brian Zarallo and Senior Deputy Attorney General Lauren Eichelberger.
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