The Columbia Borough Police Department and Lancaster County District Attorney's Office can confirm that a suspect is in custody related to the fatal shooting on November 30 in the 200 block of North Second Street in Columbia.
James E. Pilgrim Jr., 29 of Columbia, was arrested on December 12, 2022, on unrelated outstanding warrants by a Pennsylvania State Trooper assigned to the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force.
The District Attorney's Office is reviewing the investigation. Charges are forthcoming.
On November 30, 2022, at approximately 10:47 a.m., Columbia Borough Police Officers were dispatched to the 200 block of North Second Street for reports of a shooting. Officers found two male victims with gunshot wounds and worked to treat the victims, secure the scene, and summon EMS and investigators.
The two victims were in and around a blue 2014 Dodge Challenger that was parked on North Second Street near Avenue F. One of the victims was lying in the street on the driver's side of the car with a gunshot wound to his thigh. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment and has been released. The second victim, identified as Lamar Lewis, was found deceased in the driver's seat of the vehicle with a bullet wound.
The Lancaster County Coroner's Office determined Lewis' manner of death to be homicide from a single gunshot wound entering his torso.
Video footage was obtained and reviewed from several private cameras positioned around the scene. The footage shows the Challenger traveling in the 200 block of Poplar Street and eventually parking in the 200 block of North Second Street.
Further video footage shows the suspect walking toward the Challenger and shortly after running away onto Avenue F.
The wounded victim contacted a motorist to call 911.
A search of the vehicle revealed counterfeit currency and a scale commonly used for weighing illegal narcotics.
Pilgrim Jr. admitted to shooting Lewis and the other victim during an illegal drug transaction in a subsequent interview with police.
Further information from a Pennsylvania State Probation and Parole Agent revealed the suspect in the video footage looked like Pilgrim Jr. through identifying features, specifically facial tattoos. Investigators had also learned Pilgrim had been living at a home in the 300 block of North Second Street in Columbia.
On December 12, 2022, a Pennsylvania State Trooper also assigned to the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force was conducting surveillance at the home and observed Pilgrim Jr. exit the front door to retrieve items on the porch. The suspect then left the home, was pulled over on State Route 30 East and taken into custody.
Pilgrim Jr. is presumed innocent. MEDIA
CONTACT: Sean McBryan, semcbryan@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @SeanMcBryanLanc. Source: Lancaster County District Attorney's Office
Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®: https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/da/11617/post/suspect-custody-regarding-columbia-shooting-november-30-charges-pending
Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®: https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/da/11617/post/suspect-custody-regarding-columbia-shooting-november-30-charges-pending
