An adult and three teenagers, one of whom is a juvenile, have been charged with firearms and evidence tampering and hindering offenses in relation to a shooting inside a Columbia Borough apartment that left a 17-year-old dead.

Bryant Ramos, of the 2200 block of Oak Hollow Drive in West Hempfield Township, was charged with hindering apprehension or prosecution, tampering with evidence, criminal conspiracy to commit both and carrying a firearm without a license. Xxavior Michener, of the 900 block of Plane Street in Columbia Borough, was charged with carrying a firearm without a license. Tamara Rosario, also of the 900 block of Plane Street in Columbia Borough, was charged with hindering apprehension or prosecution, furnishing alcohol to minors and corruption of minors. A 17-year-old male was charged with hindering apprehension or prosecution, tampering with evidence, criminal conspiracy to commit both, carrying a firearm without a license and possessing a firearm as a minor. 

All of the defendants are alleged to have been in the apartment when Jose Manuel Lopez III is alleged to have caused the death of 17-year-old Wilfredo Garcia. Lopez was charged last week with third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and other offenses.

Garcia was shot in the head inside Rosario’s residence in the 900 block of Plane Street the evening of July 18. 

Michener, 19, is accused of possessing the 9mm handgun that was determined to have been used in the shooting prior to the shooting taking place, while Garcia possessed a 40-caliber handgun. 

The teenagers, all of whom knew each other and some of whom were drinking alcohol, were handling the weapons and firearm parts and accessories throughout the evening. Rosario, 42, who is Garcia’s mother, is accused of providing the alcohol that some of the teenagers were drinking throughout the evening. 

Over the course of several hours both handguns were passed around between the victim and the other teenagers as they took pictures and videos of the weapons and pointed the guns’ laser sights at one another. At one point during the evening while Lopez is alleged to have been handling the 9mm handgun it discharged and killed Garcia.

“The disturbing amount of crimes recently involving juveniles or young adults with firearms is a serious issue,” said District Attorney Heather Adams. “There is nothing positive that can come from juveniles illegally possessing guns. The mere presence of a firearm increases the risk of a situation becoming violent, even if unintended. In this case, the sheer disregard for the law and the recklessness evident by all is shocking.”

After the shooting, Ramos, 19, and the juvenile gathered the two weapons and gun parts in a shoe box, removed them from the scene and hid them in different locations. After conducting numerous interviews and searching multiple locations, police found the 9mm handgun determined to have been used in the shooting in the Lititz area. The 40-caliber handgun was recovered by police in the York area and additional gun parts were recovered from a vehicle in the Mount Joy area. 

In interviews with police, Rosario, though aware of who was present at the time, denied knowing how many people were in her home and concealed their identities from law enforcement. 

As the investigation continued police were able to identify each of the parties present and interviewed them multiple times over the period of more than a week. Each of the individuals present at the time of the shooting told inconsistent and changing stories to police.

“I once again would like to commend both Columbia Borough police and the Lancaster County Detectives for their diligent work investigating this tragedy,” Adams said. “Many don’t realize the amount of time and effort that law enforcement puts into these cases. In this case, it took hundreds of hours of manpower before these charges were filed.”

Preliminary arraignments took place August 3, with Judge Michael Hess setting Michener's and Ramos's bail at $50,000 unsecured. Rosario is expected to turn herself in later today.  The juvenile also turned themselves into Juvenile Probation on August 3.  

Columbia Borough Police Officer Frank Ember III filed the charges.

Assistant District Attorney Callista Chartier will prosecute the case. 

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.