— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs
Allentown police made two quick arrests after an attempted homicide early Wednesday. Information from cameras on the streets of the city helped, according to a statement from teh Office of Lehigh County District Attorney.
Both suspects are 32, according to the statement, and residents of Allentown.
Here are the facts, straight from the DA:
District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan and Allentown Police Chief Charles Roca announce two arrests in an attempted murder that occurred Nov. 27, 2024. Christopher Joel Colon, DOB 2/10/1992, of Allentown, and John Brace, DOB 10/19/1992, also of Allentown, are both charged with Attempted Murder and Conspiracy to Commit Murder, felonies of the first degree.
Colon is also charged with Aggravated Assault, a felony of the second degree; and Tampering with or Fabricating Physical Evidence, a misdemeanor of the second degree. Both were arraigned last night before Magisterial District Judge Todd Heffelfinger and committed to Lehigh County Jail in lieu of $500,000 cash bail. Both are scheduled for preliminary hearings at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 6 in Lehigh County Central Court.
Around 1:30 a.m. Nov. 27, 2024, Allentown Police were called to 420 N. Jordan St. for multiple calls of a shooting. Officers found the victim, Jorge Alicea Jr., suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his body.
Alicea Jr. was immediately transported by Allentown EMS to a hospital for immediate surgery. Officers on scene found evidence of spent shotgun shell casings and numerous projectiles that were fired from the shotgun shell casings.
Video evidence shows that just before 1:30 a.m., Alicea was looking at his cellphone and walking across a porch of the home to a double-parked vehicle nearby when multiple shotgun rounds were fired from the passenger side of the vehicle. The vehicle then fled south on Jordan Street and turned left on Gordon Street.
City owned Flock cameras recorded the fleeing vehicle at a number of nearby locations and Allentown Police officers conducted a felony stop of the occupied car within the City. Both Colon and Brace were taken into custody at that scene approximately 35 minutes after the shooting. Inside the vehicle, in plain view, was a spent shotgun shell.
— Editor’s note: Flock cameras capture images of vehicles and license plates.
The investigation revealed both Colon and Brace were involved in the shooting of Alicea. A black PAS ARMS shotgun was recovered from a drain grate along the course the vehicle traveled between the time of the shooting and the vehicle being stopped by officers.
The charges were filed by Officer Robbie Gruber of the Allentown Police Department Criminal Investigations Division and will be prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Ashley Troxell and Chief Deputy District Attorney Edward Muir.
As in every criminal case, the fact that arrests have occurred or complaints have been filed are merely accusations; and the defendants, Christopher Colon and John Brace, are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Lehigh Valley News Briefs 