Two men shot dead in Allentown, two arrested on murder charges
Two separate shootings in Allentown, Pennsylvania left two men dead on Tuesday. Police arrested two suspects the following day, though the incidents are not believed to be connected.
Two fatal shootings in Allentown leave two dead; suspects arrested within 24 hours
Two men were shot and killed in separate incidents in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Tuesday, nbcphiladelphia.com reports. Authorities made arrests in both cases by Wednesday morning and said the shootings are not believed to be connected.
The first shooting took place at around 6:53 p.m. at the 600 block of Gordon Street. Officers arriving at the scene found a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The Lehigh County Coroner's Office identified the victim the following day as Mark J. Little, 59, of Allentown. He was pronounced dead at the scene at approximately 7:35 p.m.
Witnesses told officers that the shooter was wearing a greenish-yellow mask, a navy-blue jacket, light-coloured pants, and black sneakers. During a subsequent search at the home of Abdidahir Nieves, 39, also of Allentown, officers recovered clothing and the greenish-yellow mask they believe was worn by the shooter, along with a handgun and ammunition matching the type used in the killing. Nieves was arrested and charged with homicide in connection with Little's death.
The second shooting occurred earlier in the day, at approximately 8:15 a.m., at the intersection of Front and Susquehanna streets. Jaroe J. Perry, 41, of South Whitehall Township, was shot multiple times and was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead at around 9 p.m. At the scene, police recovered an automatic handgun containing ammunition that matched spent shell casings found near Perry's body.
A witness told investigators they had seen Barrett Griggs, 39, of Schuylkill Haven, in an argument with Perry earlier that day. The witness further reported seeing Griggs retrieve a firearm from a property on South Filmore Street before the shooting. Surveillance footage recovered by investigators captured the killing. Griggs was apprehended on Wednesday morning and charged with murder and firearms offences.
On Tuesday night, the City of Allentown issued a public statement expressing that officials were "deeply saddened" by the "shootings" and urged residents "not to retaliate." A Wednesday update confirmed that the two incidents are not believed to be related.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Allentown Police Department Detectives at 610-437-7721 or the Police Desk at 610-437-7753 (ext. 1). Anonymous tips can also be submitted through the Tip411 app or via the department's official Facebook page or website.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)