LEBANON, Pa. — Update, 9:30 p.m.: According to the Lebanon County District Attorney's Office, police at the scene located multiple shell cases which indicated that at least 27 gunshots were fired. The shots came from two different caliber firearms.
The three homicide victims, Joshua Lugo-Perez, 19, Jesus Perez-Salome, 8 and Sebastian Perez-Salome, 9, lived in the same Lebanon house. Lugo-Perez was not directly related to the younger victims, but lived with their family.
The fourth victim, a 33-year-old man, also sustained gunshot injuries. He was hit in the next-door home by what appeared to be a stray, untargeted bullet. He is expected to recover.
Lebanon County Probation identified a person currently on house arrest, Alex Torres Santos, 22, as arriving, remaining in and fleeing from the exact area of the shooting at the time the homicides occurred.
Police reportedly attempted to arrest Santos via the Lebanon County SWAT team hours later. He left the residence and attempted to flee, but was taken into custody.
A second juvenile fled the residence with Santos, James Fernandez-Reyes.
According to the DA's office, Reyes, 16, hid in a nearby residence but was located by police and arrested as well.
A search of the home from which Santos and Reyes fled allegedly revealed multiple firearms. One located weapon, an AR-15, was consistent with the shell cases located at the scene. The ammunition in the weapon was also reportedly visually consistent with ammunition utilized in the killings.
An investigation determined Santos and Reyes committed the homicides together, according to the DA's office.
Santos reportedly has a criminal history with firearms and was out on bail for two separate incidents. Despite being out on a $50,000 bail, Santos allegedly wore his house-arrest bracelet to the killings.
“Tuesday evening our community suffered another heartbreaking incident of gun violence. Younger and younger defendants are picking up handguns and committing senseless shootings," said District Attorney Pier Hess Graf in a statement.
"Every homicide trial we undertake results in a first-degree conviction. Until the criminal appreciates the true outcome of the taking of a life – spending the rest of his own locked into a cell – nothing will change," she continued. "I truly appreciate the extended efforts of our County Detectives, the Lebanon City Police Department, and the Lebanon County SWAT team for effectuating the arrests of today."
Update, 5:30 p.m.: The victims of the shooting have been identified. They are as follows:
Joshua Lugo-Perez, 19, from Lebanon
Jesus Perez-Salome, 8, from Lebanon
Sebastian Perez-Salome, 9, from Lebanon
Previously: Three people are dead, including two young children, and another was injured after a shooting in Lebanon.
According to Chief Bret Fisher of the Lebanon City Police, officers initially responded to the 400 block of North 5th Street just after 10 p.m. Tuesday night for a report of shots fired. Four people were shot in total.
"It appears at the early stages of this investigation that one of the victims was targeted," said Chief Fisher. "The other three were uninvolved."
One person was transported to a Lebanon County medical facility, where police say they later died of their wounds. Another victim was transported to a Dauphin County Medical facility, where they also later died from their wounds. The third victim was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.
Officials said at a press conference on Wednesday that those three victims were 8, 9, and 19 years old.
Another man, 33, was also shot and hospitalized. He's expected to recover.
"We do not want to see any gun violence in our city, and certainly not among our children," said Lebanon's mayor, Sherry Capello.
Officers say the injured person went to a Lebanon County medical facility in a private vehicle. An ambulance then took them to a Dauphin County medical facility, where they underwent surgery and are currently recovering.
Police say the names of the deceased will not be released at this time out of respect for the family.
On Wednesday morning, police and a SWAT team closed part of N. 9th Street, just a few blocks away from where the shooting happened.
“We pulled up this morning and they basically locked down the whole area. Couldn’t get in, couldn’t get out. SWAT was here, just so sad," said Kelly Eisenhour, who lives in the area.
Chief Fisher said that police activity was in connection to the Tuesday night shooting.
As of Wednesday afternoon, one person of interest had been taken into custody, but for an unrelated matter.
Both the 8-year-old and 9-year-old victims were students in the Lebanon School District.
The school district's superintendent released the following statement to families on Wednesday:
Dear Lebanon School District Families:
I regret to inform you that on May 30, 2023 a tragic event occurred involving the death of two of our students. We extend our heartfelt sympathy to the student’s families during this sad occasion.
A young person’s death is always a heartbreaking and troubling event and the loss of a young life can have a profound effect on the student’s friends and classmates. It is important that we, as family members and educators, recognize this loss and offer assistance.
Our district staff has put a plan into place to help students deal with their grief and to support students as we progress through the rest of this year. Our Student Assistance Team, trained to respond in the event of a crisis, is available to handle the situation. School counselors are available to talk with students about response to grief. We also have School Counselors on site to give students the opportunity to be seen individually or in a small group setting.
We encourage you to be especially empathetic and prepared to offer support to your child during this time. It is important for you to talk with your children about their feelings and reactions in an age-appropriate manner. Over the next few days, encourage your child to express his/her feelings and listen attentively. You may see behavior changes, loss of concentration, physical complaints, or regression. If you have any concerns regarding your child’s reaction to this loss, contact your child’s teacher, the school counselor, school nurse, Principal, or your family physician.
Thank you for your concern and support during this difficult time.
The Lebanon City Police Department, the Lebanon County District Attorney's Office and Detective Bureau, the Pennsylvania State Police and other Lebanon County Police Departments are assisting with the investigation.
Officials ask anyone with additional information on this investigation to contact the LCPD at 717-272-6611 or submit a tip online.