ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Lehigh County coroner has confirmed the identities of the victims who lost their lives in a night of chaos and gunfire in the city late Friday. The victims were identified as 44-year-old Ada Ortiz and 1-year-old Sebastian Serrano, both residents of Allentown. Lehigh County Coroner Daniel Buglio ruled the deaths as homicides, with autopsies revealing that both victims died from gunshot wounds. Another victim, a 66-year-old man, was also shot in the same home but is expected to survive, according to police.
The shootings occurred in a house in the 100 block of Chestnut Street and were part of a series of violent incidents in the city that night. In total, eight people were shot, with three separate incidents reported. As police responded to the first incident, they were called to reports of more gunfire at a location a few blocks away where a man and a woman suffered serious gunshot wounds. A suspect was arrested at the scene, but a second suspected shooter remains unidentified.
Less than six hours later, another shooting was reported in a different part of the city, leaving three people injured but none fatally. Investigators have stated that they do not believe the three shootings are related.
In response to the violence, civic, political, and religious leaders gathered in Allentown to call for action to end the gun violence. Authorities are urging anyone with information about the incidents or who may have witnessed them to come forward and assist with the ongoing investigation.
The Allentown Police Criminal Investigations Division, the Lehigh County Homicide Task Force, the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office, and the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office are all involved in the investigation. The city is reeling from the tragic events and residents are looking for answers and solutions to prevent further violence.