Crime & Safety
Arrest Made In Shooting Death Of Philadelphia Police Officer
Officer Richard Mendez died after being shot while intervening in a vehicle break-in at the Philadelphia International Airport last week.
PHILADELPHIA — Authorities in Philadelphia have made an arrest in connection with the double shooting that killed one Philadelphia Police officer and hurt another last week.
According to police, Yobranny Martinez-Fernandez, 18, of Camden, has been taken into custody on murder and related charges in connection with the Thursday night shooting. He was taken into custody in New Jersey Monday.
Authorities said they are still looking for two people in connection with the shooting.
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Martinez-Fernandez is accused of shooting and killing 50-year-old Philadelphia Police Officer Richard Mendez and wounding 60-year-old Philadelphia Police Officer Raul Ortiz.
Mendez and Ortiz parked in the D garage at the airport at about 11 p.m. Thursday to report for duty when they encountered several men breaking into a vehicle.
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Police said the officers approached the men in partial uniform, and during that encounter shots were fired.
Mendez was shot four times and Ortiz once. Mendez was pronounced dead a short while later.
Ortiz was shot in the arm and has been released from the hospital.
One of the suspects, identified as 18-year-old Jesus Herman Madera-Duran, of Camden, New Jersey, was dropped off at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia with gunshot wounds.
Madera-Duran died from his injuries, and authorities said it's unclear who shot him, but police said they do not believe Mendez fired his gun. Mendez's gun is still missing, police said.
Authorities said Madera-Duran may have been shot by one of his accomplices.
He was dropped off at the hospital by someone driving a Dodge Durango that police said was recently stolen out of South Philadelphia. The vehicle was found burned in South Brunswick, New Jersey, about three hours after the shooting.
NBC10 reports police found a black Dodge Charger SRT on the 3700 block of L Street in Kensington Saturday. The vehicle is believed to be tied to the shooting.
There is a $237,400 reward offered for information leading to arrests and convictions of those responsible for the shooting.
Anyone with information should contact Philadelphia Police at 215-686-8477.
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