Philadelphia, PA – Cody Heron, a 27-year-old Pennsylvania resident, has admitted to his involvement in a violent attack on a Philadelphia mother, an incident that became widely known through a viral video. Heron pleaded guilty on Wednesday to two counts of aggravated assault and one count of possession of an instrument of a crime, following a plea deal with the City of Philadelphia District Attorney’s Gun Violence Task Force.
The attack, which took place on October 1, 2023, was captured on video by a tourist and showed Heron stomping through the back windshield of Nikki Bullock’s car, where her two young children were seated, brandishing a firearm at the woman, and then head-butting her with his helmet.
District Attorney Larry Krasner emphasized the significance of public safety and the disturbing nature of the incident, praising the swift action taken to identify, arrest, and convict Heron.
The video of Heron’s assault on Bullock spread quickly on social media, leading to an outpouring of tips that assisted law enforcement in locating and arresting him. Prosecutors were ready to take the case to trial, but Heron’s guilty plea precluded this necessity.
Further investigations revealed that Heron had attempted to destroy evidence and evade accountability by altering his appearance and the identifying features of his bike and helmet. Assistant District Attorney Fernanda Sandoval highlighted efforts to conceal the crime, including painting the bike and helmet to avoid detection during potential searches.