LANCASTER, PA — Two Lancaster men will face charges in the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas related to the shooting that killed 29-year-old Luis Sanchez and injured a security guard at Prince of Subs in the 100 block of South Prince Street in the early morning hours of Nov. 28, 2022.
Magisterial District Judge Adam Witkonis deemed the evidence and testimony presented by the Commonwealth sufficient to hold over charges against Ziair Collymore, 23 of the 700 block of High Street, and Jerbrell Westmoreland, 30 of the 100 block of South Queen Street, after a preliminary hearing Tuesday afternoon in the Lancaster County Courthouse.
Collymore is charged with criminal homicide, conspiracy to commit criminal homicide, attempted criminal homicide, recklessly endangering another person, and carrying a firearm without a license.
Westmoreland is charged with criminal homicide, conspiracy to commit criminal homicide, and attempted criminal homicide.
Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Ponessa presented evidence and testimony from Lancaster City Bureau of Police Officer Tyler Chubb and Detective Adam Flurry during the proceeding.
Chubb testified he was one of the first officers on the scene, responding at approximately 1:11 a.m. to Prince of Subs and finding a man with gunshot wounds who appeared to be deceased. The security guard – who did not appear injured initially – eventually fell on top of Chubb with a gunshot wound to his leg. Chubb applied a tourniquet to the security guard and both victims were transported to a local hospital.
Chubb also testified that he discovered four spent shell casings in the parking lot of Prince of Subs and that he and another officer ran into Collymore after the shooting with both interactions captured on body-camera footage.
Flurry is the lead investigator of the case and testified he attended Sanchez’ autopsy where it was learned the victim was shot three times. The Lancaster County Coroner’s Office determined the manner of death to be a homicide and the cause was gunshot wounds to the body.
Flurry presented videos and photos from multiple sources that showed:
- Collymore walking from the area of the 700 block of High Street to Prince of Subs on the night of the shooting
- Collymore opening the door with his right hand and shooting inside Prince of Subs with his left hand before running from the scene
- Photos of Collymore signing documents with his left hand in previous encounters with police
- Westmoreland and Collymore briefly meeting in the 100 block of Beaver Street as Collymore heads toward the restaurant
- Westmoreland and Sanchez both in Prince of Subs at the same time
- Westmoreland and Collymore both utilizing their phones at the same time before the shooting
- Collymore returning to the area of the shooting after police arrive and asking for his cousin “Jerbrell” to make sure he wasn’t injured in the shooting
Defense counsel for Westmoreland argued the Commonwealth did not provide sufficient evidence to hold over any of the charges because there was no proof of communication between Westmoreland and Collymore, Westmoreland owning a firearm, and Westmoreland knowing the victim.
Ponessa argued the evidence showed Westmoreland tracked Sanchez, met with Collymore, and moved out of the way before the shooting occurred. Ponessa also stated Westmoreland had no reaction to the shooting and that evidence showed the codefendants knew each other.
Both defendants are scheduled to be arraigned on June 23, 2023, and are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Rall is assisting in the prosecution.
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