Two Allentown men are charged in a shooting that left another man dead Wednesday in the city.
Jason Luis Gonzalez fired a gun into an apartment in the 100 block of North Eighth Street, killing 24-year-old Jahlik Colon of Temple, Berks County, and nearly hitting another man, according to Allentown police.
Gonzalez fled, and Garfield McLean Jr. drove him away from the area, authorities said.
Gonzalez, 25, is charged with homicide, prohibited possession of a firearm and recklessly endangering another person. McLean, 30, is charged with homicide, conspiracy to commit that offense, and prohibited possession of a firearm. Both were sent to Lehigh County Jail without bail.
City police were called to the apartment about 5:45 p.m. Wednesday. When they got there, they found Colon lying in a doorway, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Another person standing next to him was nearly hit by the gunfire, court documents state.
Colon was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, where he was pronounced dead about 30 minutes later, Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio said. His death was ruled a homicide, and an autopsy showed his cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds, the coroner said.
Detectives, using surveillance footage and license plate readers, discovered Gonzalez’s vehicle was involved in the shooting, according to authorities.
Surveillance footage showed Gonzalez parking in the 700 block of Linden Street and heading to the apartment building, charging documents state. McLean, who was in the passenger seat, got into the driver’s seat and drove the vehicle to the area of the shooting, police said.
Footage later showed Gonzalez running from the area and getting into the vehicle, authorities said.
Investigators found the vehicle about 7:15 p.m. in the area of Filbert and Susquehanna streets. McLean was driving and Gonzalez was in the front passenger seat, while a woman and her 1-year-old were in the back seat, according to court documents. Additionally, police said they found a handgun that was consistent with the one used in the shooting.
The gun belonged to the woman, who claimed she left the gun there the day before, police said. The Lehigh County District Attorney’s office said the woman was released and has not been charged.
Authorities said McLean and Gonzalez, who both have prior criminal convictions, are not legally allowed to have a gun.
