A 17-year-old boy has been charged as an adult for trying to kill a man at a big gathering of people at the Eagle Ridge Apartment Complex in Edwardsville.
Erik Reyes Jr. was taken into custody at his home on Union Street, Luzerne Borough, for allegedly shooting Jaivel Pope, 19, in the parking lot of the apartment complex just before 6:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Pope got shot in the stomach and was taken to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township.
The school's resource officer identified Reyes, a student at Wyoming Valley West High School, as the person in the surveillance video who shot the gun.
Reyes was arraigned by Luzerne County President Judge Michael T. Vough for criminal attempt to commit criminal homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment, possession of a firearm by a minor, and harassment. Vough imprisoned Reyes without bail, saying he was a danger to the community.
According to the criminal complaint by the Pennsylvania State Police at Wilkes-Barre:
Police in Edwardsville and nearby areas came to the apartment complex because of the shooting and found Pope on the ground being helped by neighbors.
A video showed many people in the parking lot, and Pope was approached by two men. One of them fired two shots at Pope, the complaint says.
After the shots were fired, the gunman and the other man left the area.
A police officer from Plymouth and a school resource officer at Wyoming Valley West identified the gunman as Reyes from the video of the shooting, the complaint says.
The video also showed tattoos on the gunman's arms.
After Reyes was identified, state police went to his home and arrested him without any trouble.
Reyes said he was at the apartment complex but didn't answer any questions.
Investigators found out that Reyes took a shower at his home after the shooting, the complaint says.
The reason for the shooting is still not known.
