High school student, 17, charged in Edwardsville shooting

Ed Lewis, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
·2 min read

May 3—WILKES-BARRE — A 17-year-old boy is charged as an adult for the attempted killing of a man during a large gathering of people in the Eagle Ridge Apartment Complex in Edwardsville.

Erik Reyes Jr. was arrested at his Union Street, Luzerne Borough residence, on allegations he shot Jaivel Pope, 19, in the parking lot of the apartment complex just before 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

Pope suffered a gunshot wound to his abdomen and was transported to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township.

Reyes, a student at Wyoming Valley West High School, was identified by the school's resource officer as the alleged gunman from surveillance footage.

Reyes was arraigned Friday by Luzerne County President Judge Michael T. Vough on charges of criminal attempt to commit criminal homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment, possession of a firearm by a minor and harassment. Reyes was jailed without bail as Vough deemed him a danger to the community.

According to the criminal complaint filed by the Pennsylvania State Police at Wilkes-Barre:

Police in Edwardsville and surrounding municipalities responded to the apartment complex for a shooting finding Pope on the ground being assisted by neighbors.

Video footage showed a large gathering of people in the parking lot where Pope was approached by two men. One of the men fired two shots at Pope, the complaint says.

After the shots were fired, the gunman and the other man fled the area.

A Plymouth police officer, who is also a school resource officer at Wyoming Valley West, identified the gunman as Reyes from video footage of the shooting, the complaint says.

Video footage also included tattoos on the gunman's arms.

After Reyes was identified, state police went to his residence where he was arrested without incident.

Reyes admitted he was at the apartment complex but refused to answer questions.

Investigators learned Reyes took a shower at his residence after the shooting, the complaint says.

A motive to the shooting remains unknown.