On the evening of September 4, 2024, 21-year-old Ismael Ortiz-Rodriguez was shot and killed in Reading, Pennsylvania. Officers found him with multiple gunshot wounds on the 600 block of Mulberry Street after gunfire was reported around 9:30 p.m.; he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Ortiz-Rodriguez was a spouse and the father of one daughter. Family and friends remembered him for his outgoing personality and for enjoying time on his PlayStation. Authorities say he was believed to have been targeted, and the Reading Police Department opened an active investigation but released no suspect information in initial reports. Police also said they do not believe there is a known threat to public safety.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the Reading Police Department or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Alert Berks. Does anyone in the area have information that could help investigators?