City police charge suspect in fatal city shooting
Law enforcement seeking man, 22, in deadly shooting
 Lancaster city police have identified the man they believe was responsible for Wednesday's fatal shooting.
Now they need to find him.
Jose Andrew Ramos Jr., 22, (pictured left) also known as "Neff" and "Neffy," is charged with the shooting of 26-year-old Douglas K. Jones Jr. of Manheim Township.
Jones was shot multiple times in the 100 block of Locust Street and died around noon Wednesday, police said.
Warrants have been issued for Ramos' arrest, police said Friday.
"He should be considered armed and dangerous," Chief Keith Sadler said at a news conference.
The U.S. Marshals Service is aiding in the search for Ramos, Sadler said.
"Unless he's planning to leave the planet, there is no corner we will not look for him," Sadler said.
Police described Ramos as 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighing 185 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He is from Lancaster city.
Ramos has tattoos on the back of both hands, in scripted writing. On his left hand is the name "Ruth" and on the right, "Kathy."
Court records show that Ramos has an arrest record. In 2005, he was charged with receiving stolen property, theft by unlawful taking, criminal mischief and defiant trespass.
In 2007, he was charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
In December, he was charged with harassment, and a summons was issued to him, but could not be delivered. A warrant for his arrest was issued in February on that charge.
The events leading to the shooting began around 11:40 a.m. Wednesday, police said. Ramos and Jones — who knew each other — were talking in the 100 block of Locust Street. The two men shared a connection to that area, investigators said.
As the two talked, police said, they began arguing and then fighting physically.
Sadler said he did not know what the dispute was about, adding, "Apparently it was over something fairly trivial."
At some point, police said, Ramos shot Jones several times and then ran away.
The dispute between the two men was captured on Lancaster Community Safety Coalition surveillance cameras. That was an enormous help to detectives in the investigation, police said.
Capt. Pete Anders said, "Without question, if it was not captured on cameras, we wouldn't be sitting here with a warrant today."
Police pointed out that the shooting happened in the middle of the street, in a highly populated area where children were playing. It also was adjacent to a state placement center for male juvenile offenders.
Not only is the shooting an outrage to Jones' family, it is an outrage to everyone, Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman said.
"This is a crime against the entire community," he said, urging people to come forward with information on Ramos' whereabouts.
"Everybody should step up and do the right thing," he said.
Police believe they might have found the weapon used in the shooting. The day after the shooting, a resident in the 200 block of Howard Avenue found a handgun. The weapon is being analyzed at the state police laboratory.
City police Detective Kurt Miller obtained a warrant for Ramos, charging him with criminal homicide and firearms violations.
Courtesy of Lancaster Newspapers, Intelligencer Journal / Lancaster New Era
April 9, 2010
E-mail Janet Kelley: jkelley@lnpnews.com; Cindy Stauffer: cstauffer@lnpnews.com |
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