Authorities have charged a Chester man with murdering 2-year-old Nikolette Rivera.

Freddie Perez, 30, has also been charged with nine counts of attempted murder and two counts of conspiracy to commit murder.

Police arrested Perez Tuesday night.

Police announced Wednesday night that they have taken another suspect into custody; they have not identified him yet because he has not been charged.

“I want to thank the Philadelphia Police Department for working around the clock to bring those responsible for this terrible violence to justice. Their diligence and swift work ensured Freddie Perez was brought into custody within days, and that we now have additional evidence to start to bring closure to this investigation,” District Attorney Larry Krasner said in a released statement. “I also join Mayor Kenney in calling on our state and federal officials to take their blinders off, see the destruction happening in communities where poverty is a structural cause of drug addiction and gun violence, and follow the lead of nations that have far lower rates of violence by regulating and limiting access to guns. Every child deserves to grow up without fear or concern about gun violence. Let’s be the people we keep saying we are – a people who treasure our babies – and make that a reality.”

Perez and the other suspect opened fire on Nikolette’s North Water Street home with an assault rifle at about 3:30 p.m. Sunday, police said.

One bullet hit Nikolette’s head, killing her, police said. She was pronounced dead at 3:41 p.m.

Nikolette’s mother was holding Nikolette at the time of the shooting; a bullet hit her left arm and another grazed her head, police said. A contractor who was working in the home at the time was hit in the abdomen, police said. Both Nikolette’s mother and the contractor were rushed to Temple Hospital, where they were listed in critical condition.

Detectives counted six bullet holes in the front of the house and found six 7.62X39 fired rifle casings in the street directly in front of the house.

Police believe Perez and the other suspect also opened fire on a black SUV a few minutes earlier and about half a mile away on the 400 block of East Clearfield Street. The fired rifle casings found at the scene of that shooting matched those found in front of Nikolette’s home.

Nikolette was one of two young victims of gun violence over the weekend.

On Saturday, 11-month-old Yazeem Jenkins was shot while in the backseat of a car driving on North Seventh Street, police said.

Bullets struck Yazeem once in the head, once in the neck and twice in the buttocks, police said. The little boy remains in critical condition and is not expected to fully recover from his wounds, police said.

Members of the public who have information about these shootings are asked to call the Philadelphia Police tip line, 215-686-8477/TIPS.

The city has offered rewards of $30,000 in each case for information that leads to arrests.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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