1 dead, 1 suspect in custody following weekend's shooting in east Reading
Nov. 9—One man is dead and another is being held in Berks County Prison without bail facing murder charges in the aftermath of last weekend's shooting in east Reading.
Jefferson Etienne, 38, died during surgery in Reading Hospital following the pre-dawn Saturday shooting in front of his residence in the 400 block of South 16th Street, Reading police said Wednesday.
Police have charged two 24-year-old Reading men, one of whom was shot while fleeing, with first- and third-degree murder and conspiracy.
One of the suspects, Marc D. Lockman Jr., was located 10 minutes later in his home, suffering from a gunshot wound to his right hand, investigators said.
Following arraignment Tuesday night before District Judge Eric J. Taylor in Reading Central Court, Lockman was jailed to await a hearing.
Lockman and co-defendant Jabar M. Hill, who remained at large Wednesday afternoon, were charged Saturday after investigators reviewed security camera footage and interviewed witnesses.
According to court papers:
Police were dispatched at 5:22 a.m. for a report of a shooting in the 400 block of South 16th Street. They found Etienne suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
After Etienne was rushed to Reading Hospital by ambulance, officers searched the crime scene for ballistic evidence, locating 12 9 mm cartridge casings and two .40-caliber casings, as well as a firearm magazine.
Footage from nearby homes and businesses showed a light-colored sedan roll past the victim's house shortly before 5:20 a.m. The vehicle parked close to the intersection at Muhlenberg Street.
Three males were seen walking from the car. One, later identified as Hill, had his hand in his front waistband, and Lockman was holding a gun in his right hand.
A third male, who has yet to be identified, stood in the street several houses away.
The footage showed Hill and Lockman stopping in front of the victims' house where they encountered him. Moments later, muzzle flashes were seen from where Etienne, Hill and Lockman were standing.
Two of the flashes were seen coming from Hill.
After the gunfire, Hill and Lockman headed toward 16th and Muhlenberg streets. Hill was seen getting into the driver's side of the car that he had gotten out of minutes earlier. Lockman was last seen running north on 16th Street toward Perkiomen Avenue.
A witness told detectives that he was in the house when HIll and Lockman arrived and started hurling accusations at Etienne about stealing a firearm. Etienne had his own firearm, and moments after Hill and Lockman approached, the witness heard gunshots.
After Etienne collapsed on the sidewalk, the witness came out of the home, took Etienne's gun and fired at the two assailants, wounding one of them.
About 10 minutes after the shooting, police were dispatched to the 1300 block of Good Street for a report of a man suffering from a gunshot wound to the right hand. Officers responded and found Lockman, a resident of the home.
Several hours after the shooting Lockman admitted to criminal investigators that he and HIll went there to retrieve Lockman's gun and that he was shot in the process.
Police found footage that showed Hill, Lockman and the unidentified third suspect arriving at the Good Street home after the shooting.
Hill was observed to be angry, lamenting that he dropped his gun magazine, followed by "too much happened too fast bro."
The unidentified male responded, "Relax, bro, we done did too much already. It's already over."
Jabar Hill has not been found and Reading police are requesting that anyone with information on his whereabouts contact them at 610-655-6116. Information can also be provided anonymously by calling Crime Alert Berks County's anonymous tip line at 1-877-373 -9913.
