Wednesday, October 27, 2021

State Police Release Photo of Mahanoy City Homicide Suspect

The Pennsylvania State Police have released the photo of a man they say is responsible for a Mahanoy City homicide early Sunday.

Late Sunday, an arrest warrant has been issued for Santonio Pierre Malone, street name "Sosa", 36, with a last known address of 219 West Vernon Street, Shenandoah.

Malone is facing charges of Murder in the First Degree, Murder in the Third Degree,  multiple charges of Aggravated Assault, Simple Assault, and recklessly endangering another person.

According to State Police, the incident occurred around 2:50am, Sunday morning at the Rmusic21 Lounge also known as the Hookah Lounge, located in the 100 block of East Centre Street.

The original dispatch for the incident called for the Mahanoy City Police to respond for a disturbance outside the bar.  

When police arrived, they found two victims, identified as Juan Carolos Romero, 33, of Hazleton, and Alorfi Bladimir Ramirez, 29, of Hazle Township, with gunshot wounds.

Police say the incident started when the victims were refused entrance into the bar.  During the disturbance, a Hispanic male, now identified as Malone, brandished a firearm and shot Romero multiple times in the middle of Centre Street.

After shooting Romero, the shooter walked over to Ramirez who was kneeling behind a vehicle parked in front of the lounge and shot him multiple times.

The shooter then fled the scene.

Romero would later be pronounced dead at the scene by Schuylkill County Deputy Coroner David Truskowsky.

Ramirez was transported by EMS to the Shenandoah Helipad where he was flown to Reading Hospital in serious condition.

State Police were assisted at the scene by the Mahanoy City Police Department, Mahanoy City Fire Police, and Humane Fire Company.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact the Frackville barracks at (570) 874-5300 or call 911.