Prosecutor says teen accused of murder near Bethlehem elementary school will be tried

A. Bethlehem youth He was accused of shooting and killing a 30-year-old man He’s headed to trial in Northampton County Common Pleas Court in a drug deal gone bad.

Gianni Santini, 17, of the 1770 block of Callone Avenue, faces aggravated murder; He was charged with aggravated assault and two counts of aggravated robbery, as well as firearms and weapons offenses, authorities said. Santini surrendered to police on Sept. 27, a day after the incident, and is charged as an adult in the case.

All charges against Santini were transferred to district court on November 13 after he waived his right to a preliminary hearing. Santini will stand trial unless a plea is entered or the case is otherwise resolved. Bail was denied in the case following a preliminary hearing before District Judge Vivian I. Zumas in September.

Santini remains in custody Northampton County Jail. Allentown-based attorney John Waldron, who previously represented Santini, said: lehighvalleylive.com As of Monday, he was no longer involved in the case. Upper Saucon-based attorney Mark Heinrich, who currently represents Santini, could not immediately be reached for comment Monday morning.

The Northampton County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday morning that the trial was continuing. Northampton District Attorney Stephen Baratta praised the quick work of city police in taking Santini into custody.

“The arrest occurred just hours after Bethlehem police issued an arrest warrant,” Baratta said in a press release.

Pull Occurred shortly before 23:30 on September 26 Santini met Altaron Amir Robinson, 30, of Easton, and another woman, 21, of Allentown, in the 1900 block of Butztown Road, the probable cause affidavit states.

The incident took place on the street near Vali Kurt Primary School. The trio agreed to meet outside school to exchange $320 in cash for marijuana, according to city police. The male victim and Santini arranged the arrangement over social media, text messages and Facetime and did not know each other before the meeting, according to court records.

The female victim reported to investigators that she watched Santini on the sidewalk on the north side of the elementary school as he walked along the east side of the building. He reported walking across the grass onto the street and toward his silver Mercedes-Benz. He was parked outside the school with Robinson in the driver’s seat and she in the front passenger seat, according to court records.

According to court records, Robinson told Santini to get into the back passenger seat behind him, which he did before pointing a gun at the woman’s head. Santini then allegedly pointed the gun at Robinson. City police said the woman handed over two designer bags and bagged marijuana.

Santini then got out of the car and began running, according to police. According to police, Robinson chased after Santini, tackled him to the ground, and the two fought before the female victim heard two gunshots.

Santini then fled while the woman called 911, according to court records. Investigators responding to the incident seized two 9 mm spent casings and one live round, as well as a “perm cap” that Santini was seen wearing to cover his head and glasses in video surveillance footage, authorities said.

Police Warrant issued for Santini’s arrest 27 September. This came after a relative of Santini reported the teenager as a possible suspect. The Bethlehem Area School District closed Governor Wolf Elementary School that day while police investigated. Crime scene tape was visible on school grounds Thursday evening.

Robinson, St. Paul in Fountain Hill. He was taken to St. Luke’s University Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead by the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office. An autopsy determined that Robinson’s death resulted from a gunshot wound to the head, and the incident was ruled a homicide by Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio.

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Pamela Sroka-Holzmann can be reached at: [email protected].