WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. – A man has been arrested for a shooting at a Walmart in Whitehall township on Friday night that left a woman dead, according to police.
District Attorney Jim Martin and Whitehall City Police Chief Michael Marks announced Sunday that 23-year-old Edward Joel Rosario-Jiménez of Whitehall is charged with felony homicide, attempted felony homicide and assault. aggravated; all first-degree offenses; and the firearm cannot be carried without a license, a third-degree felony, according to officials.
At approximately 6:55 a.m. Friday, Whitehall Township Police were asked to report shots fired at the Walmart car park at 2600 block of MacArthur Road.
Upon arrival, police found two victims near a vehicle parked with the engine still running in the parking lot.
Both victims suffered gunshot wounds, one died after those wounds and a second received medical treatment. The Lehigh County Forensic Office ruled in favor of the death of this victim, whose identity has only been released as Jane Doe, a homicide.
According to officials, investigators were able to obtain and review video surveillance footage from the Walmart store showing the victim’s vehicle arriving and parking in an area of the cargo collection lot.
Within minutes, a black Toyota sports utility vehicle entered and parked directly in front of the victim’s vehicle, officials say.
Several victims were interviewed by police. Their identities will not be disclosed.
According to officials, a witness told police he had gone to the Walmart parking lot to look for his son, who was also the son of one of the victims of the shooting.
The witness told police that he arrived at the Toyota with Rosario-Jiménez and two other people and that Rosario-Jiménez argued with one of the victims. The witness told police he heard gunshots and drove away in the Toyota, but Rosario-Jimenez remained in the parking lot.
Another witness told police they watched as Rosario-Jimenez fired several shots at the victims, according to police.
Police say a gun was found hidden in a snow bank adjacent to the scene of the shooting.
Officials recall, as in all criminal cases, that an arrest has been made or a complaint has been filed is only an indictment; and the defendant, Edward Joel Rosario-Jiménez, is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Edward J. Rosario-Jiménez was also arrested in a pre-shooting incident, on September 14, 2019, for single offenses of simple assault, reckless danger and terrorist threats.