Dog The Bounty Hunter Offers HUGE Reward To Help Locate Murder Suspect
By Kelly Coffey-Behrens on October 18, 2023 at 5:58 PM EDT
Updated on October 18, 2023 at 6:40 PM EDT
Duane Chapman, also known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, has offered the public a $275,000 reward for helping to find a murder suspect.
In a now-deleted Instagram post, Chapman offered up a big reward for anyone who could help locate additional suspects in an airport parking garage murder of a Philadelphia police officer.
Officers Shot In Philadelphia, Suspects Remain At Large
"Yobranny Fernandez, an 18-year-old from New Jersey, has been arrested in connection with a shooting incident at an airport parking garage in Philadelphia that resulted in the death of a police officer and the injury of another," Dog the Bounty Hunter wrote in his post.
According to reports, Officer Mendez, 50, was killed in a shooting that took place on Thursday at about 11 p.m. just as he, and his fellow officer Raúl Ortíz, were arriving at a parking lot at the Philadelphia International Airport to start their shifts.
As the two officers walked through the parking lot to start their shifts, they heard the sound of breaking glass, according to investigators. That is when they spotted a group of at least four people breaking into a vehicle inside the parking garage.
When the officers confronted the group, they began shooting. Mendez, a 22-year veteran of the police department, was shot multiple times in the upper torso. Ortíz was shot in the arm.
"An 18-year-old, Jesus Herman Madera Duran, was also shot and pronounced dead," Dog the Bounty Hunter added in his post. "Authorities believe he was involved in the confrontation, along with at least three others, including the person responsible for firing the shots."
The investigation is currently ongoing as officers look for two other individuals for their involvement in the shooting. Officer Mendez's gun remains missing following the shooting.
“We believe that individual participated in the theft of the vehicle and was subsequently involved in the shooting homicides of Officer Ortiz, Officer Mendez, as well as the individual that was with them, Jesús Durán," Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said at a press conference earlier this week.
He added, “We believe that one of these accomplices was responsible for firing a firearm which shot all three of these individuals."
Following the shooting, a teen was left to die outside West Philly hospital. Police released video of a Dodge Durango -- which had been reported stolen -- showing a teen get dropped off in the parking lot of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia on the night of the incident.
The teen was later identified as Jesús Durán, who died of gunshot wounds at the hospital at about 11:37 p.m. that night.
Dog The Bounty Hunter Offering $275,000 In Reward Money
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Officer Mendez was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Officer Ortíz was released from the hospital on Saturday.
Dog the Bounty Hunter is offering $275,000 for any additional information leading to the arrest of the additional suspects.
If you have any information about this fatal shooting, call 833-TELL-DOG (833-835-5364).
