LANCASTER, Pa. — Police in tactical gear were seen blocking off several streets in downtown Lancaster following a shooting in broad daylight.
Johan Parra, a 31-year-old Lancaster resident, was shot and killed along the 400 block of St. Joseph Street around noon. It appeared he was shot inside his car, which was towed by police a few hours later.
“I came home to grab some lunch around 12:30, and the cop cars were already here [with] a K9 unit," said Ryan Cahill, who lives a block away from where the murder occurred.
Cahill said his wife and kids were in the vicinity several minutes before the shooting happened.
“I called my wife because they weren’t home, and I wanted to make sure they were okay. Apparently, they just missed it," recalled Cahill. "I was pretty worried; you get scared for your family and neighbors and everything.”
Lancaster City Police then moved to West Vine Street, where they engaged with one of the suspects in an hours-long standoff.
Lazaro Salazar said his family was stuck inside a nearby apartment as the standoff was going on.
“I was scared because my family is here," said Salazar. "I got my daughter and my four grandchildren, so it was terrible.”
Two teenage suspects, 14-year-old Jomar Santos and 18-year-old Jayziah Echevarria were taken into custody that evening. Both are charged with criminal homicide, conspiracy to commit criminal homicide, carrying a firearm without a license and recklessly endangering another person.
Neighbors expressed hope that the shooting was an isolated incident and that it doesn't give the neighborhood a bad reputation.
“We try to encourage everyone [to know] each other and [be] friendly with one another," said Cahill. "This makes you worry about your community.”