ALLENTOWN, Pa - A 25-year-old man was fatally shot in Allentown's Fountain Park on Saturday evening.
Police say they responded to the scene around 6:29 p.m. and found the man suffering from gunshot wounds. In less than an hour, he succumbed to his wounds, according to the Lehigh County Coroner's office.
Photo courtesy Mike Nester
The man whose name is not being disclosed at this time was pronounced dead at 7:17 pm on the scene in the 900 Block of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
His death is being ruled a homicide and an autopsy will be completed on Monday, according to the Lehigh County coroner.
This incident is being investigated by the Allentown Police Department, the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Homicide Task Force, and the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office
A message from Mayor Matt Tuerk regarding yesterday's shooting at Fountain Park:
"A terrible and preventable act of violence upended a beautiful day in Allentown yesterday. Our parks are our havens and some hateful individuals tried to take that away from us. Our police will work with our community to hold those people accountable while we all begin the healing process to restore our peace. Someone lost a son, and our community needs time to grieve. Acts like this will not disrupt the progress toward a safer, cleaner, and healthier Allentown. We are committed to addressing the systems that allow violence to occur, with a focus on creating economic opportunity and promoting positive social engagement. I encourage everyone to do their part so that our young people can be active in our parks—free of fear—and able to enjoy the summer."
Anyone with information or video regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Allentown Police Department Criminal Investigation Division at 610-437-7721 or to submit a tip on the Tip411 application on the Allentown Police Department website.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and loved ones.
Photos courtesy Mike Nester