2nd suspect arrested in double shooting at Middletown apartment complex
Dec. 20—A second man has been charged in connection with the Dec. 10 shooting at an apartment complex on Lafayette Avenue in Middletown that injured two people — one who did not report injuries to police until days after the incident, according to Middletown police.
Faty A. Mendez-Matos was arrested during a traffic stop Tuesday at Logan Avenue and University Boulevard. Mendez-Matos, 43, of Middletown, is charged with two counts of felonious assault that are second-degree felonies, discharging a firearm in the city limits, also a second-degree felony and having weapons under disability, a third-degree felony.
According to police, a 9-millimeter gun was found in Mendez-Matos' vehicle. Middletown detectives are coordinating with Cincinnati law enforcement officials to match the recovered firearm with the casings found at the crime scene.
Middletown Sgt. Earl Nelson said a second man suffering from gunshot wounds came to the police station a couple days after the shooting saying he had been afraid to contact police. Another victim, who suffered multiple gunshot wounds, was taking to the hospital shortly after the shooting.
Frainer Antonio Mendez-Gomez, 25, of Middletown, turned himself into police on Friday and is charged with felonious assault and improperly discharging a firearm into a habitation. Mendez-Gomez was arraigned in Middletown Municipal Court and released after posting 10 percent of a $125,000 bond.
The shooting incident happened about 2:30 p.m. in the 600 block of Lafayette. A private vehicle was stopped by police on Trine Street while trying to transport a victim to the hospital, according to Nelson.
According to a complaint filed in court, one of the victims was visiting the Lafayette Avenue home when there was a knock at the door. When his friend answered, a man started shooting. One victim was hit twice and the other three times.
Nelson said after talking more with witnesses, Mendez-Matos was also identified as an alleged shooter. The sergeant said a family dispute is believed to have lead up to the shootings.
Dispatchers received eight 911 calls from people reporting shots fired. One caller said "two clips were empty at least." Another said the shooting "almost shook my apartment."
A male callers told dispatchers "I am watching this dude chase this guy down and shoot him with a gun."
Callers gave descriptions of a van or SUV leaving the area.
