BREAKING: A Philadelphia man has been found guilty of double murder in a shocking case that unfolded outside a convenience store in Reading, Pennsylvania. Just moments ago, a Berks County jury convicted Nyjee Jefferson, 30, of both first- and third-degree murder after a tense three-day trial.
The jury’s decision comes in connection with the tragic deaths of 18-year-old Jose Ventura-Jimenez and 17-year-old Alejandro Drullar, who were fatally shot outside the store on February 20, 2022. The violence erupted just after sunrise, around 7 a.m., following a confrontation that began inside the store located at the intersection of Schuylkill Avenue and West Greenwich Street.
According to police reports, the altercation escalated into the parking lot, where Jefferson opened fire, shooting Ventura-Jimenez a staggering seven times and Drullar once. The brutality of the attack has left the community reeling.
Authorities confirmed that just two hours after the shootings, Jefferson was seen on security footage entering a Philadelphia hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound. He was apprehended a few days later, leading to this significant conviction.
This double homicide is part of a larger pattern of violence that has plagued the area, with seven individuals killed in a mere five-week span. The community is now grappling with the implications of this latest incident as emotions run high.
Jefferson is set to be sentenced in February 2024, and the case has sparked discussions about public safety and gun violence in Pennsylvania.
As the community processes this traumatic event, it highlights the urgent need for action against rising violence. Stay tuned for further updates as this developing story unfolds.
