Police: Reading man arrested at airport trying to flee to Dominican Republic after fatal shooting | Reading Area
READING, Pa. – A Reading man attempting to fly out of the country was arrested at the airport Sunday in connection with a fatal morning shooting, according to police.
Criminal investigators with the Reading police department have identified the shooter as 43-year-old Federico Perez Polanco of Reading, according to a press release.
Authorities say the shooting happened at the 1400 block of North Fifth Street around 3:40 a.m. Upon arrival, police found the victim with multiple gunshot wounds.
The victim, a 32-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene by Reading EMS, according to the police.
The coroner’s office said an autopsy has been scheduled for Monday at Reading Hospital.
The man has been positively identified, but his identity is being withheld at this time pending notification of next of kin, the coroner’s office said.
Police say that after the shooting, Perez Polanco fled to New Jersey and booked a flight to the Dominican Republic that was scheduled to depart on Sunday night.
A coordinated effort was launched involving the U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Berks County District Attorney’s Office, and the Port Authority Police Department of New York and New Jersey.
As a result of that collaborative effort, Perez Polanco was arrested while waiting to board his flight, according to officials.
Currently, he is awaiting extradition back to Pennsylvania to face charges of First-Degree Murder, Reading police said.
“I want to thank the members of the Reading Police Department and all of our law enforcement partners for their quick and coordinated efforts to locate and apprehend the suspect. While today’s arrest is an important step toward justice, our hearts remain with the victim’s family and loved ones as they cope with this unimaginable loss. They are in our thoughts during this difficult time,” said Reading Mayor Eddie Moran.
The investigation remains active. Anyone with information related to the homicide investigation is asked to contact the Reading Police Department at 610-655-6116.
