On the evening of May 30, 2023, a tragic shooting occurred in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, resulting in the deaths of three individuals, including 9-year-old Sebastian Perez-Salome. Sebastian and his 8-year-old brother, Jesus, were playing with kittens in their backyard when gunfire erupted. Both children sustained fatal injuries; Jesus was pronounced dead at the scene, while Sebastian succumbed to his injuries shortly after being transported to a hospital. A 19-year-old man, Joshua Lugo-Perez, who resided in the same household but was not related to the boys, was also killed in the incident. Additionally, a 33-year-old neighbor, Luis Cancel, was injured by a stray bullet but survived after undergoing surgery.
Investigations revealed that the assailants targeted Lugo-Perez due to a prior argument, with the young brothers tragically caught in the crossfire. Authorities swiftly identified and apprehended the suspects involved in the shooting. On May 31, 2023, police arrested 22-year-old Alex Torres-Santos and 16-year-old James Fernandez-Reyes, charging them with multiple counts, including criminal homicide, conspiracy, and aggravated assault. Both suspects were held without bail at the Lebanon County Correctional Facility. At the time of the shooting, Torres-Santos was under house arrest for unrelated charges and was wearing an ankle monitor, which he allegedly had on during the commission of the crime.
A third suspect, 27-year-old Ivan Claudio Rosero, was apprehended on June 6, 2023, in Philadelphia after a week-long manhunt. Rosero confessed to driving himself and the other shooters to and from the crime scene and admitted to firing multiple rounds during the homicide. His girlfriend, 34-year-old Tiffany Koziara, was also arrested and charged with hindering apprehension for allegedly assisting Rosero by providing her vehicle and misleading investigators about his whereabouts.
In light of the severity of the crime, the Lebanon County District Attorney announced intentions to seek the death penalty against Torres-Santos and Rosero, citing multiple aggravating factors, including the murders of the two young children and the grave risk posed to the community. Due to his age, Fernandez-Reyes is not eligible for the death penalty but faces serious charges as an adult. As of September 2024, pretrial motions have delayed the trial, with proceedings potentially postponed until the following spring.
