Milton, Pa. — Two men struggling over a gun led to a shooting last week on Broadway Street in Milton, according to police.
Victhian Jovier Pitre-Rodriguez, 21, of Sunbury, was arrested on Friday on an attempted homicide charge immediately after he was discharged from Geisinger Medical Center in Danville.
Police believe Pitre-Rodriguez and another man at the scene, Nathaniel Rivera, got into an altercation in the hallway of an apartment building at 21 Broadway Street, according to the affidavit written by Patrolman Kurt Henrie of Milton Borough Police Department.
The two men struggled over a gun and Pitre-Rodriguez then allegedly shot Rivera twice. During the struggle, the firearm malfunctioned and Pitre-Rodriguez then reportedly shot himself in the leg.
According to the affidavit, here's what happened on April 16:
When police arrived at the scene shortly after 4:15 p.m., the owner of a nearby business had transported Rivera to Evangelical Community Hospital in Lewisburg. Rivera was taken a short time later to Geisinger by helicopter. Pitre-Rodriguez was taken by ambulance to Geisinger.
Upon searching the scene at the apartment building at 21 Broadway Street, police found a trail of blood leading up two flights of stairs to the door of apartment 3R. Police forced the door open and found more blood on the floor inside the apartment.
Police applied for a search warrant and seized items from the common stairway in the apartment building, which included a black hooded jacket, loose cartridges of .45 caliber ammunition, two spent .45 caliber casings, a wallet belonging to Rivera, a hat, a black ski mask, rear sights from a firearm, and a fired bullet which was recovered from the floor of the hallway, according to the affidavit.
Based on the evidence found in the hallway, specifically the recovered fired bullet, the loose rounds and spent casings on the floor, the blood, and the rear sight to the pistol, the following theory of what occurred developed: It was believed that the two gunshot victims got into an altercation in which the firearm was used. There was a struggle over the gun and Pitre-Rodriguez shot Rivera twice. During the struggle for the gun, the firearm malfunctioned and Pitre-Rodriguez shot himself in the leg.
Police also served a search warrant on apartment 3R, where Rivera had reportedly been living. Officers found a firearm with an obliterated serial number which was owned by 28-year-old Jose A. Rodriguez Lassalle. He was subsequently charged.
During the search of Rivera's apartment, police also uncovered firearms magazines with loaded ammunition, drugs and paraphernalia, cell phones, a cash counting machine, large amounts of cash, and a utility bill with the tenant's name, according to the affidavit.
Henrie noted Rivera was on probation in Northumberland County for a possession with intent to distribute controlled substances case. Rivera had an ankle monitor and was registered to be living at that apartment, according to county probation.
When police interviewed Rivera and Pitre-Rodriguez, each man told police a different story about what they were doing at the apartment building building and what happened during the altercation.
On April 22, police showed Rivera a photo line up of suspects and he pointed to Pitre-Rodriguez as the alleged shooter.
Rivera has undergone two surgeries since the shooting, and a third one is pending, according to Henrie.
Pitre-Rodgriguez also was charged with aggravated assault and related charges through the office of District Judge Michael Diehl. He is currently at Northumberland County Prison while he awaits arraignment.
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