In the Bronx, a Saturday afternoon turned deadly, forever altering the lives of those connected to Angel Ortega. On February 19, 2022, the 44-year-old male was gunned down at the corner of East Tremont and Belmont Avenues in the Crotona neighborhood. The fatal encounter happened at approximately 3:17 p.m., a time when the day was still bright, yet a shadow was cast over the community.
Responding to a 911 call about a man shot, officers from the 48th Precinct arrived to a grim scene.
They discovered Angel Ortega with five gunshot wounds to his back. Emergency medical services quickly transported him to the nearby St. Barnabas Hospital in an effort to save his life. Despite their efforts, Ortega was pronounced dead a short time after arriving at the hospital.
The investigation into the shooting led to a swift arrest. Jose Santos, a 43-year-old resident of Crotona Avenue in the Bronx, was taken into custody in connection with the fatal shooting. He was charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon. At the time of the reports, the investigation was still ongoing.
