DA: 2 brothers charged in Allentown shootings that killed woman

Two Allentown brothers were responsible for the July 12 shootings in the city that left a 33-year-old woman dead and a man injured, Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin announced Wednesday.

Isaiah C. Lopez, 20, of Allentown, is charged with shooting and killing Lauren Gonzalez after she confronted a group of people in the 400 block of North Church Street, Martin said. His 19-year-old brother, Jasiah Lopez, was previously charged with attempted homicide in the shooting of another man during the same altercation, Martin said in a news release.

Allentown police on Wednesday filed an arrest warrant for Isaiah Lopez, of the 100 block of Penn Street, on a criminal homicide charge.

The shooting happened at 7:31 p.m. on July 12 as children were playing and neighbors were sitting outside on the block, which is in the area of Fourth and Liberty streets.

When officers arrived at the scene, they found Gonzalez and Justin Trinidad, 26, who both live in the 100 block of North Seventh Street, suffering from gunshot wounds. Gonzalez was taken to Lehigh Valley HospitalCedar Crest, where she died. Trinidad was shot in the legs and torso, police said.

An investigation by Allentown police Detective Eric Stauffer and Lehigh County Homicide Task Force Detective James Bruchak found that Gonzalez confronted a group of people who had been involved in a fight in the 400 block of North Church Street, Martin said.

Gonzalez and Isaiah Lopez got into an altercation. Trinidad tried to help Gonzalez and was punched in the face, Martin said. Trinidad was shot by Jasiah Lopez as he tried to flee and was struck several more times as he neared the rear door of a home at 428 N. Church St., Martin said.

Trinidad later saw Gonzalez on the ground nearby with a chest wound, police said.

Police interviewed several witnesses and viewed surveillance footage and one cellphone video that showed the fights and the shootings. The detectives determined that Isaiah Lopez shot and killed Gonzalez and Jasiah Lopez shot Trinidad, Martin said.

“I want to commend the work done by Detectives Stauffer and Bruchak and the Allentown Police Department which has led to an arrest warrant being issued for the defendant Isaiah Lopez and the earlier arrest of Jasiah Lopez,” Martin said.