Murder suspect named in Wednesday morning shooting

Police at the scene of a multi-party shooting that left two people dead and three injured in the 2600 block of W. 4th Street in Delaware County Wednesday morning. (PETE BANNAN-DAILY TIMES)

CHESTER — Delaware County District Judge Jack Stollsteimer on Thursday filed manslaughter and related charges against a city resident stemming from a fatal shooting Wednesday morning at a laundry factory that left two people dead and three others injured.

“This is a terrible tragedy that has affected everyone in this community,” Stollsteimer said Thursday afternoon during a press conference at Chester City Police Headquarters. “…This was a cold-blooded shooting. This was an incident where he was walking around the factory and started shooting at people.”

Wilbert Rosado Ruiz, 61, of 2600 Kane Street, faces 68 counts, including first- and third-degree murder, attempted murder, assault, reckless endangerment and weapons offenses in connection with the Delaware County Line shooting.

He is being held without bail and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 5 before Magistrate Judge Shepard Garner. Stollsteimer said Rosado Ruiz has not made a statement and he is unsure if he has legal representation.

Stollsteimer identified the dead as brothers Leovanny Penapena, 30, and Giguenson Penapena, 26. He said both were from the Dominican Republic and one of the other injured victims may be related to them, but that had not been confirmed as of Thursday.

The three injured victims have not been identified. Chester Police Superintendent Steven Gretsky said two of the injured were in stable condition Thursday and one was in critical but stable condition.

Shooting spree in the store

Stollsteimer said Rosado Ruiz, who has been employed by the laundry company since 2016, had received complaints from other workers there and that a meeting was held about him on Tuesday.

Rosado Ruiz is said to have entered the store at 2600 West Fourth Street shortly before 8:30 a.m. and got into an argument with a co-worker. He left the store briefly, made a phone call, and then returned with a gun and shot the woman, injuring her, Stollsteimer said.

Rosado Ruiz then continued his rampage through the store, Stollsteimer said, moving calmly and methodically through the building with a firearm in his hand, according to surveillance video. There was no footage of gunfire inside the building, Stollsteimer said, and it was unclear at this point whether the other victims were targeted.

“It's staggering to see that when you know what he does,” Stollsteimer said. “It's actually scary to see him walking around like that. I have no idea why he chose the people he shot, other than the first person, the woman he had an argument with. He walked over to her, shot her first, and then walked around the building.”

Gretsky said his officers received the call around 8:28 a.m. and encountered a “very chaotic scene” with people outside.

Officers found a dead man at the front door, entered the building and found another victim who had been shot multiple times, Gretsky said. Officers placed the man in a laundry basket and wheeled him outside so medical attention could be provided. They then searched the rest of the building and found the second dead victim further back.

An affidavit of probable cause for Rosado Ruiz's arrest filed by Chester Detective Patrick Flynn states that the three injured victims were taken to Crozer-Chester Medical Center. The original victim had suffered a gunshot wound to the chest. The others had gunshot wounds all over their bodies.

There were 48 personnel on site at the time. The affidavit states that Rosado Ruiz once said he was tired of the way people were treating him before shooting one of the surviving victims in the back.

He allegedly tried to shoot a sixth person, but the gun jammed or ran out of ammunition, the affidavit states. Investigators found two shell casings outside the building and at least eight more inside the building.

Escape and subsequent arrest

Surveillance video from outside shows the gunman calmly exiting the building and spotting the first victim who had fled the building, Stollsteimer said. Rosado Ruiz then ran toward the woman and attempted to shoot her again with an empty or misfiring gun before getting into his car and leaving the area, Stollsteimer said.

A Trainer police officer who heard the suspect's description saw him drive away from the scene and attempted to stop him, the affidavit states. A high-speed chase ensued, ending in a dead end near Culhane and Kane streets.

Rosado Ruiz then got out of the vehicle and threw away the weapon, the affidavit states. He was arrested without further incident, according to Stollsteimer.

Stollsteimer said the investigation is still in its early stages and investigators have not yet determined exactly what happened in the building. However, they have clearly matched fired cartridge cases from the crime scene to the firearm that was seized with Rosado Ruiz.

Stollsteimer said Rosado Ruiz legally purchased the 9mm Remington in 2018 but does not have a concealed carry permit.

Gretsky praised his officers and those in surrounding communities for their quick response and support. He said that in recent years, Nether Providence Police Chief David Splain has placed an emphasis on active shooter training for all officers in the district.

Stollsteimer also expressed his condolences to the Penapena family.

“These two brothers… imagine what their family is going through right now,” he said. “They go out on a normal day to do their jobs to support their families and they don't come home. That's why we're here to defend them and we're going to do whatever it takes to hold him accountable.”