2 young brothers shot and killed while playing with kittens in their backyard
06/02/2023 12:28 pm PDT
LEBANON, Pa. (TCD) -- A teen and a 22-year-old man were arrested this week for allegedly fatally shooting two young brothers and a 19-year-old and injuring another man who is expected to survive.
According to the Lebanon City Police Department, on May 30, officers were dispatched to an area near North Cherry and Garrett streets after receiving reports of gunfire and found four individuals suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.
Medics transported one victim to a Lebanon County hospital and another victim went via private transport. The victim who was taken by ambulance died from his wounds and the other underwent surgery and is expected to survive. The third victim went to a hospital in Dauphin County, where he died, and a fourth was declared dead at the scene.
The Lebanon County District Attorney’s Office said officers at the scene located 27 shell casings from two different guns. The three victims who died reportedly all lived in the same home on North 5th Street, though the 19-year-old victim was not an immediate family member. The fourth victim who survived the shooting, Luis Cancel, resided next door.
The victims who died were identified as 8-year-old Jesus Perez-Salome, 9-year-old Sebastian Perez-Salome, and 19-year-old Joshua Lugo-Perez.
During a press conference, Lebanon City Police Chief Bret Fisher said investigators believe the gunmen targeted Lugo-Perez due to a "past argument."
Jesus Perez-Salome died from his wounds on the back porch of his home.
Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Hess Graf said about the two brothers, "They were outside playing with their kittens. They had nothing to do with this. Their mother lost two children that evening."
Police arrested 22-year-old Alex Torres Santos and 16-year-old James Fernandez-Reyes on three counts of criminal homicide, three counts of conspiracy to commit homicide, one count of aggravated assault, and other firearms offenses. Graf said investigators are still looking for a third suspect.
Detectives reportedly searched a home that Fernandez-Reyes and Santos fled from and found an AK-47, which was "consistent with the shell cases located on-scene."
According to the District Attorney’s Office, Santos was out on bail for two firearm-related charges. He was ordered to wear a GPS monitoring bracelet, which he allegedly still had on during the shooting.
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