In a significant development, authorities have taken a suspect into custody following the tragic double shooting that claimed the life of a Philadelphia Police officer and wounded another. Yobranny Martinez-Fernandez, an 18-year-old hailing from Camden, was apprehended in Cherry Hill on Monday, and he is currently awaiting extradition to Philadelphia to face charges related to murder and other offenses associated with the shooting.
Martinez-Fernandez stands accused of the shooting death of 50-year-old Philadelphia Police Officer Richard Mendez and causing injuries to 60-year-old Philadelphia Police Officer Raul Ortiz.
While Martinez-Fernandez has been captured, the investigation is ongoing, and authorities are still searching for two more individuals linked to the incident.
The fatal encounter transpired when Mendez and Ortiz, both in partial uniform, arrived at the airport’s D garage around 11 p.m. as part of their duty. They encountered a group of individuals attempting to break into a vehicle, and as they approached the suspects, gunfire erupted.
Officer Mendez sustained four gunshot wounds and was tragically pronounced dead shortly thereafter. Officer Ortiz was shot in the arm but has since been released from the hospital.
One of the suspects, identified as 18-year-old Jesus Herman Madera-Duran of Camden, was found wounded and dropped off at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Sadly, Madera-Duran succumbed to his injuries. It remains unclear who fired the shots that wounded him, but investigators believe that Officer Mendez did not discharge his weapon during the confrontation. There is speculation that Madera-Duran might have been inadvertently shot by one of his cohorts during the incident.
It is worth noting that Officer Mendez’s firearm is still missing. The individual who transported Madera-Duran to the hospital was driving a stolen Dodge Durango, which was reported missing from South Philadelphia. The vehicle was discovered burned in South Brunswick roughly three hours after the shooting.
Additionally, a black Dodge Charger SRT, believed to be connected to the shooting, was located on the 3700 block of L Street in Kensington.
A substantial reward of $237,400 has been offered for any information that leads to the identification, arrest, and conviction of those responsible for the shooting. The investigation continues, and authorities are determined to bring all individuals involved in this tragic incident to justice.
