A man is in custody following a shooting incident that took place in Reading, Pennsylvania, earlier this week. Jose Gastambides-Martinez, 51, was arrested for allegedly shooting a man on the 100 block of Church Street on Wednesday morning (December 3). According to police, the shooting stemmed from an ongoing dispute over a woman.
Officers responded to reports of gunfire around 5 a.m. and discovered spent shell casings and blood at the scene. The victim, a 47-year-old man, was later found at Reading Hospital, having been driven there in a personal vehicle. He sustained multiple gunshot wounds but is reported to be in serious but stable condition.
Gastambides-Martinez was identified as the suspect after his vehicle was captured on a license plate reader crossing the Bingaman Street Bridge. He reportedly admitted to driving to the scene and firing at the victim at least three times. The suspect was apprehended after leaving his home on Patton Avenue, where officers had his car under surveillance.
He faces multiple charges, including attempted criminal homicide and aggravated assault. Gastambides-Martinez is currently held at Berks County Jail on $500,000 bail, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for December 19.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities urge anyone with information to contact the Reading Police Department or Crime Alert Berks.
