In the summer of 2015, the life of 19-year-old Abdiel Vazquez-Soto was tragically cut short in a burst of violence on the streets of York, Pennsylvania. On the night of June 12th, he was a passenger in a parked SUV with his 21-year-old brother, Angel Luis Berrios, at the intersection of Jefferson and Juniper streets. Another vehicle pulled alongside them, and gunfire erupted, shattering the night's calm.
Despite being gravely wounded, Berrios managed to drive the SUV away from the
immediate danger, his brother and another passenger, 20-year-old Francisco Rivera, with him. Their desperate flight ended just two blocks away, at the corner of Newberry Street and Madison Avenue, where the vehicle crashed. When emergency responders arrived, they found Berrios had succumbed to his injuries at the scene. Vazquez-Soto and Rivera were rushed to York Hospital. While Rivera's injuries were not life-threatening, Abdiel Vazquez-Soto died from his wounds early the next morning.
The investigation into the double homicide led police to 19-year-old Durell Cotton Jr. of York. Authorities arrested him in early August of that year, charging him not only with the murders of the two brothers but also with the 2013 killing of 21-year-old Jordan Breeland. Investigators believed the shootings were connected to an ongoing and violent feud between rival gangs. Cotton was charged with three counts of criminal homicide and aggravated assault and was held in York County Prison without bail. The community, heartbroken by the senseless loss of two brothers, rallied to support their grieving family, organizing fundraisers to help cover the unexpected funeral expenses for both young men.
