Lewistown shooting suspect held without bail after Turnpike chase

Preliminary hearing set for Sept. 25

LEWISTOWN -- A Lewistown man accused of firing 21 shots at five people outside a Logan Street bar is being held without bail in Lancaster County Prison after his capture following a Pennsylvania Turnpike pursuit.

Kio Manuel Dejesus-Pena, 42, is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Sept. 25, according to court records. He faces five counts of attempted criminal homicide and a series of related assault, endangerment and firearms charges stemming from the Sept. 5 shooting near the Major League Bottle Shop at Logan and South Pine streets.

Pennsylvania State Police took Dejesus-Pena into custody early Sept. 11 after a pursuit on the Turnpike in Lancaster County.

According to updated information from Lewistown Police, a license-plate reader alerted a state trooper to Dejesus-Pena's vehicle near Turnpike mile marker 250. The trooper was monitoring a construction zone when the alert linked the vehicle's registration to Dejesus-Pena and his active arrest warrant.

Two troopers followed the 2008 Honda Accord as Dejesus-Pena traveled about 80 mph for approximately 15 miles before attempting to stop him. The troopers then activated their emergency lights and sirens, but Dejesus-Pena didn't stop.

Troopers deployed a tire-deflation device near the Reading Interchange as the pursuit continued. Three additional troopers joined the chase before Dejesus-Pena stopped on the interchange off-ramp after three tires on the Accord were deflated.

Dejesus-Pena was taken into custody without further incident and lodged in Lancaster County Prison.

In addition to felony fleeing or attempting to elude police, Dejesus-Pena was charged with driving with a suspended license and speeding in connection with the Turnpike incident.

After taking Dejesus-Pena into custody, troopers confirmed Lewistown Police wanted him on a warrant charging him with five counts of attempted criminal homicide.

Lewistown Police said the Sept. 5 shooting followed an argument involving several people inside the Major League Bottle Shop. According to police, two women had been arguing over a man before three men became involved in a confrontation.

Police said Dejesus-Pena left the bar and waited outside. Five people later left the business and walked toward a vehicle in the 200 block of Logan Street.

Investigators believe Dejesus-Pena went between two nearby residences to retrieve a handgun before returning to Logan Street. Police allege he fired 21 rounds in rapid succession at the group as they were getting into the vehicle with its doors open.

Five rounds struck the passenger side of the vehicle, breaking glass and piercing the doors, police said. Officers also found other parked vehicles that had been struck by gunfire.

One man suffered a gunshot wound to the buttocks. Police said the victim went to Geisinger Lewistown Hospital around 3:45 a.m. and was later transferred to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, where the bullet was removed. His injury wasn't considered life-threatening.

Police said the victim initially left the area without contacting authorities because conditions of his probation or parole prohibited him from being at a bar. He later told investigators he didn't initially realize he had been shot.

Investigators obtained surveillance video from the area, including footage police said clearly showed the gunman firing toward the vehicle.

Detectives identified Dejesus-Pena in part by comparing tattoos visible on the surveillance footage with tattoos recorded on police body-camera footage from previous traffic stops.

Lewistown Police later searched a Logan Street residence associated with Dejesus-Pena after the shooting, but investigators didn't recover the handgun. Police have not announced that it has since been recovered.

Police said a robbery conviction stemming from a 2015 Philadelphia arrest prohibits Dejesus-Pena from possessing a firearm.

Magisterial District Judge Craig Weston issued the arrest warrant Sept. 8. Lewistown Police later requested assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service because investigators believed Dejesus-Pena had ties outside Pennsylvania.

Dejesus-Pena faces five counts each of attempted criminal homicide, aggravated assault-attempted serious bodily injury, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. He also faces one count of a person not allowed to possess a firearm.

Dejesus-Pena remains in Lancaster County Prison without bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 25.