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Rashaun Taylor and Thalia Ortiz, both of Reading, were arrested shortly after police issued a Be On The Lookout "BOLO" alert Sunday night, the Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department said.
Witnesses told police that Ortiz and Taylor arrived at a home on the 2000 block of Lawnwood Court in East Petersburg sometime around 8:20 p.m., for an arranged child custody exchange, police said.
An argument between Ortiz and the child's father's girlfriend turned physical, at which point Ortiz fired shots from a 9mm handgun from the vehicle toward the home, authorities said.
One of the rounds passed through a window and struck the victim, identified as an innocent bystander who was visiting the home, police said. The victim was struck by gunfire in the hip and was taken to Lancaster General Hospital for immediate treatment and care, the NLCRPD said.
Ortiz and Taylor fled the scene in a green, Subaru Legacy, and were located a short time later, authorities said.
They were taken to police headquarters for questioning, while the vehicle and gun involved were recovered and secured as evidence, the NLCRPD said.
Ortiz was charged with crimes associated with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment of another person, and shooting at an occupied structure. Taylor was charged with offenses associated with his involvement and aiding Ortiz in the crimes committed, police said.
The details of the incident remain under investigation by the NLCRPD Criminal Investigation Division.
The NLCRPD, Manheim Township Police Department, East Hempfield Police Department, and the Major Crimes Unit of the Lancaster District Attorney’s Office were investigating.
Anyone with information that may assist the NLCRPD, specific to the incident, is asked to contact the NLCRPD Criminal Investigation Division at 717-733-0965 or through the NLCRPD Crimewatch webpage.
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