Lititz Man Charged for Shooting Into Occupied House

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WARWICK TWP, PA — The Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department (NLCRPD) announced charges have been filed against 24-year-old Dakota Leonel Johnson-Ortiz of Litiz in connection to a shooting incident.

According to a press release, police officers investigated the report of a shot fired into an occupied dwelling in the 100 block of Guilder Place in Warwick Township. The reporting party indicated there was information provided to her by a neighbor who heard a loud noise consistent with a gunshot. The reporting party entered a bedroom serving as a child’s nursery and noticed debris on the floor. There was also dust and debris from a hole in the room’s drywall. A small child was sleeping in a crib located within the nursery. While removing the child from the crib, an area of new damage to the crib was observed caused by the projectile which was fired into the dwelling. The child was not injured, and no other injuries are known to be associated with this investigation.

NLCRPD patrols conducted forensic processing of the crime scene, and also interviewed witnesses and a suspect. In addition, there was an interview with a subject who resided nearby, who admitted he shot at a squirrel during the same time frame. Later in the day, there was a dead squirrel, discovered under a woodpile nearby the scene of the dwelling struck by the projectile. Upon completion of the investigation, NLCRPD filed criminal charges against Dakota Leonel Johnson-Ortiz in connection with offenses related to shooting into an occupied dwelling.

Information is subject to change at any time as additional details may emerge. Information, a criminal complaint, or an arrest is not a declaration of guilt. A suspect, arrestee, or defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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