ALLENTOWN, Pa. -- A man is facing charges in a shooting that injured four people in Allentown on Tuesday night.
Axel Suarez-Vidal, 22, shot into a crowd of people gathered outside of a home in the 1800 block of W. Turner Street just before 7 p.m., said the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office on Wednesday.
At 6:47 p.m., officers were called to 1837 West Turner St. for a shooting where multiple victims had been taken to the hospital in personal vehicles before police arrived.
A total of four victims, three adult females, and one adult male, were shot and all are expected to survive. All of those victims were hit in the legs. One of them was struck in the arm as well, according to a WFMZ News report.
Muhlenberg College was briefly on lockdown. The investigation though yielded no connection to Muhlenberg College and no threat to the Muhlenberg College Community, according to police.
Photo courtesy Mike Nester
The investigation revealed that Axel Yadiel Suarez-Vidal (date of birth 09/13/2001) was armed and shot into a crowd of people gathered outside the Turner Street home.
According to a report by WFMZ News, District Attorney Gavin Holihan said it all started when two men agreed to fight each other.
"But they also brought a group of people with them, and amongst those two groups, an altercation broke out among two people and one of those two people is the person we allege took out a handgun and started firing at the other group," said Holihan.
Suarez-Vidal surrendered Wednesday morning and is currently in custody. He was arraigned earlier today at the Lehigh County Central Booking Center, according to Allentown Police. A judge denied bail, considering the suspect is accused of a mass shooting.
Suarez-Vidal is charged with four counts of Criminal Attempted Homicide, Aggravated Assault, and Reckless Endangering.
His next court date is set for next Tuesday in Lehigh County District Court.
At this time, no additional suspects are being sought, according to police.
This case is being investigated by the Allentown Police Department including the Criminal Investigation Division, the Identification Division, and the Patrol Division as well as the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact the Allentown Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 610-437-7721 or the Allentown Police Department Complaint Desk at 610-437-7753.
As in every criminal case, the fact that an arrest occurred or a complaint has been filed is merely an accusation; and the defendant, Axel Yadiel Suarez-Vidal, is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
