Accident – Death – Obituary News :

Hartford Shooting: Second Arrest Made in Quadruple Shooting Case

HARTFORD, Conn. (WFSB) – Hartford police have announced a significant development in the investigation of a quadruple shooting that occurred over the summer, resulting in the deaths of a high school girl and a man from Philadelphia. Elexer Orta, a 29-year-old resident of Philadelphia, has been arrested in connection with the case, marking the second arrest made thus far.

Orta now joins Carlos Frank-Nieves in facing charges related to the death of 17-year-old Alondra Vega-Martinez on July 15. While Joseph Vargas-Mercado was initially identified as the man who died, the police have labeled him as a suspect in the case, alongside Orta and Frank-Nieves.

According to the authorities, the incident is believed to have started as an attempted robbery. On July 15, around 3:30 p.m., the police responded to a 911 call reporting a 17-year-old girl with gunshot wounds inside an apartment located at 541 Maple Ave.

Upon arrival, the police discovered Vega-Martinez unresponsive. Despite being transported to the hospital, she succumbed to her injuries several days later.

While investigating the scene, the officers noticed a crashed car on Maple Avenue. A male passenger in the vehicle had sustained a gunshot wound. He was rushed to Hartford Hospital, where he was listed in critical but stable condition.

The police determined that the injured passenger was one of the victims of the attempted robbery. Shortly after, another 911 call alerted the authorities to two additional gunshot victims near 165 Wethersfield Ave.

The two adult males found at the scene were identified as suspects. Sadly, Vargas-Mercado did not survive his injuries, while Frank-Nieves remained in critical condition at the time.

The investigation suggests that the entire incident unfolded within the apartment at 541 Maple Ave and that it was characterized by mutual combativeness. Gunfire was exchanged between the suspects and an individual present in the apartment.

A subsequent search warrant executed at the apartment revealed several pieces of evidence, including a firearm with an obliterated serial number, a significant amount of U.S. currency, and a cash counting machine.

Hartford police apprehended Orta in Pennsylvania with the assistance of probation officers. He was taken into custody as a fugitive from justice and subsequently waived extradition. On Monday, Orta was transported to Hartford to face the charges brought against him.

Orta now faces a range of charges, including criminal attempted murder, felony murder, conspiracy to commit home invasion, home invasion, first-degree unlawful restraint, risk of injury to a child, first-degree assault, and criminal liability.

Meanwhile, Frank-Nieves has been charged with criminal attempted murder, felony murder, conspiracy to commit home invasion, home invasion, first-degree unlawful restraint, risk of injury to a child, impersonating a police officer, and criminal possession of a firearm.

The Hartford police are continuing their investigation into the quadruple shooting case, hoping to shed more light on the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident.

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