In the early morning hours of March 24, 2023, a fatal confrontation unfolded on the 100 block of East South Street in Allentown, Pennsylvania, leaving two men dead. Alexander J. Perez-Sotomayor, a 42-year-old male resident of the neighborhood, was one of the men who lost his life in the exchange of gunfire. The other was 21-year-old Yovanni Suazo, also of Allentown.
The incident, which was initially believed to have been a response to an attempted car break-in, was later clarified by the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office as a tragic misunderstanding.
An in-depth investigation, which included witness interviews and a review of numerous video recordings, revealed that there was no indication that Suazo or his companion were attempting to break into or access any vehicles. It was determined that Perez-Sotomayor had made an 'apparent misassumption' that a crime was in progress. This mistaken belief led him to arm himself with a. 40-caliber Glock and, along with a neighbor who carried a metal pipe, confront Suazo and his companion.
The confrontation escalated quickly into a brief altercation, during which Perez-Sotomayor reportedly told the two men to empty their pockets. An exchange of gunfire ensued. Suazo fired a 9mm handgun, striking Perez-Sotomayor multiple times. Perez-Sotomayor fired his weapon, which jammed after a single shot, striking Suazo once. When police arrived at the scene around 1:40 a.m., they found both men with gunshot wounds. Despite attempts to provide first aid, both Alexander J. Perez-Sotomayor and Yovanni Suazo were pronounced dead at the scene. The Lehigh County Coroner's Office later ruled both deaths as homicides.
Following a thorough investigation by the Allentown Police Department and the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office, it was concluded that Perez-Sotomayor and Suazo were the only shooters and had killed one another. As a result, authorities announced that no criminal charges would be filed in connection with the incident. The investigation into the deaths was officially closed.
