On January 24, 2017, 18-year-old Jose Efrain Rodriguez was shot and killed in southeast Lancaster after two separate confrontations with city police officers during the early morning hours. Rodriguez, staying on South Queen Street and originally from New York, approached an officer’s vehicle near South Duke and North streets carrying a handgun. Reports say he fired at officers; one returned fire and Rodriguez fled, still armed.

The pursuit led to the Hillrise Apartment complex, where Rodriguez hid briefly before a second encounter with different officers. Tasers were used, and Rodriguez reportedly fired again. An officer then fired and fatally wounded him; he was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. No officers were injured. Shell casings from Rodriguez’s pistol and officers’ firearms were recovered, and the pistol was reported stolen. In April 2017 the Lancaster County District Attorney concluded the officers’ use of force was justified and found Rodriguez fired first in both encounters.

If anyone has information about Rodriguez’s movements that night or witnessed the encounters, please share what is known.