LANCASTER, Pa. — Two men and a now-19-year-old juvenile have been charged in connection with the 2022 fatal shooting of a 30-year-old man during a botched robbery involving a stolen handgun, authorities announced.
Luis Javier Rivera, 23, of East King Street; Jorge Luis Santiago, 26, of Coral Street; and a then-17-year-old juvenile were involved in the Dec. 9, 2022, incident that resulted in the death of James Diggs. The juvenile, who was shot twice during the altercation, returned fire in what investigators have determined was an act of self-defense.
Police say the events unfolded on Ruby Street around 11:30 p.m., when the juvenile arranged a gun trade through social media after stealing a 9mm handgun earlier that day. The trade was a ruse by Rivera, Santiago, and Diggs, who allegedly planned to rob the juvenile of the firearm. A physical struggle ensued when the juvenile realized the trade was fake, leading Diggs to shoot the juvenile. The juvenile fired back, striking Diggs five times and killing him.
Rivera told investigators that the trio brought a fake gun to deceive the juvenile and used force to take the stolen weapon. Security footage captured audio of the altercation and a white sedan, linked to Santiago, leaving the scene shortly after the shooting. Police later recovered the stolen firearm during a search of the juvenile’s residence, where he admitted to stashing it after the incident.
The juvenile, who was hospitalized for gunshot wounds, faces charges in the juvenile system for firearm theft, illegal possession, and related offenses. Rivera and Santiago face multiple charges, including aggravated assault, robbery, and conspiracy.