On December 8, 2024, at approximately 8:30 p.m., Harrisburg police responded to reports of gunfire in the 300 block of Nectarine Street. Upon arrival, officers discovered 25-year-old Jhonny Torres lying in the roadway with a gunshot wound to the head; he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses at the scene reported that Torres had been engaged in a conversation with 29-year-old Santiago Gutierrez. An argument ensued, during which Torres turned to walk away.
At that moment, Gutierrez allegedly shot Torres and then fled the area. A witness positively identified Gutierrez as the shooter from a photograph provided by the police.
Following the incident, an arrest warrant was issued for Gutierrez, charging him with murder and illegal possession of a firearm, as he was not licensed to carry a firearm in Pennsylvania. Authorities sought public assistance in locating him.
On December 10, 2024, around 11:10 a.m., police received a tip that Gutierrez was traveling south on Cameron Street. Marked police units pursued his vehicle. Upon realizing he was being followed, Gutierrez began shooting at officers from his moving car. Officers returned fire, and the pursuit ended when Gutierrez's vehicle came to a stop. Drones were deployed to assess the situation, and after confirming no movement, officers approached and pronounced Gutierrez dead at the scene at 12:42 p.m.
The death of Jhonny Torres and the subsequent fatal confrontation with Santiago Gutierrez have contributed to a rising number of homicides in Harrisburg in 2024, with 22 reported so far, compared to 13 at the same time last year.
