Man killed following road altercation between drivers in Allentown, Pennsylvania, DA says
An early morning fight on Sunday between two drivers led to a deadly shooting in Allentown, Pennsylvania, according to the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office.
In an announcement about the investigation, District Attorney Gavin Holihan and Allentown Police Chief Charles Roca said the shooting happened just after 3:30 a.m. near 5th and Hamilton streets.
Allentown police arrived at the scene and detained a driver from a Prius and a passenger from an Audi. Emergency medical services brought the Audi driver, who had been shot, to the Lehigh Valley Health Network at Cedar Crest Boulevard, where he died shortly after arriving, according to Holihan.
Investigators say surveillance video from areas near the scene pieced together what led up to the shooting. The drivers of two vehicles – a Prius and an Audi – were involved in an altercation on the road moments before the shooting.
Both cars were driving westbound on the 400 block of West Hamilton Street when investigators say the Audi "overtook the Prius." Then, as they crossed 5th Street, the Audi forced the Prius to the curb, and both cars subsequently stopped.
The driver of the Audi then got out of his car with a metal bat and began swinging at the driver of the Prius, hitting the driver's side door. The Prius driver then fired a gun at the Audi driver, who dropped the bat and moved away from the car, according to the DA's Office.
The Prius driver drove away and called 911. Officers arrived at the scene, detained the driver and recovered a 9mm handgun from him, which he was legally permitted to possess, officials said.
At this time, no charges have been filed against the Prius driver. Authorities said there was just one person in the Prius and two people in the Audi.
The passenger in the Audi was not injured and remained at the scene. Officials didn't release names for either of the drivers or the Audi passenger.
Multiple agencies, including the Allentown Police Department, Lehigh County DA's Office, Lehigh County Homicide Task Force and the Lehigh County Coroner's Office, investigated the incident.
