Two young boys died alongside a teenager during a triple homicide in Lebanon, Pennsylvania.
The shooting occurred Tuesday night, May 30, while the boys, Jesus Perez-Salome, 8, and Sebastian Perez-Salome, 9, were playing with their kittens outside their residence. The intended target of the shooting was believed to be 19-year-old Joshua Lugo-Perez, who also lost his life in the incident, according to local law enforcement.
Lebanon Mayor Sherry Capello described the incident as “truly heartbreaking,” with Jesus being pronounced dead on the back porch of his home and Sebastian succumbing to his injuries at a nearby hospital. District Attorney Pier Hess Graf expressed the devastating impact on the family, as the boys’ mother lost two of her children in the senseless violence that unfolded that evening.
Law enforcement officials have made significant progress in the case, with the arrest of two suspects thus far, while actively seeking a third individual, Lebanon Police Chief Bret Fisher said. It was determined that the shooting resulted from a past dispute between Lugo-Perez and the suspects.
The two suspects attempted to flee during a search operation but were apprehended. One suspect was promptly arrested, while the other was detained three hours later. 22-year-old Alex Torres-Santos and 16-year-old James Fernandez-Reyes now face criminal homicide, conspiracy to commit homicide, and aggravated assault.
Law enforcement discovered several .223 rifle rounds and 9mm shell casings at the scene of the North 5th Street home, indicating that at least 27 gunshots were fired from two different firearms of varying calibers.
During a Wednesday search of Torres-Santos’ and Fernandez-Reyes’ residences, law enforcement uncovered multiple firearms, including an AR-15 and another weapon that matched the shell casings.
Before their arrest, Torres-Santos was under house arrest on bail for two separate incidents involving violent behavior with firearms. These incidents included allegedly assaulting an individual multiple times and possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute.
The Lebanon County District Attorney’s Office will carefully consider whether to pursue the death penalty as they weigh the gravity of the case.
