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Suspect in Tamaqua Shooting Arrested in Hazleton

HAZLETON — U.S. Marshals and police arrested a man in Hazleton wanted for shooting a man in October. A day after the fatal shooting of a U.S. Marshal in H...
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HAZLETON -- U.S. Marshals and police arrested a man in Hazleton wanted for shooting a man in October.

A day after the fatal shooting of a U.S. Marshal in Harrisburg, police in our area are doing everything they can to keep first responders safe.

Every day the men and women who wear a badge put their lives on the line. Even after losing one of their own in a fatal shooting in Harrisburg, U.S. Marshals alongside officers from our area had to go back to work in order to keep the public safe.

Rafael Valdez-Torres was led into his arraignment at the magistrate's office in Tamaqua. He is charged with shooting Joseph Becker in the chest back in October.

This arrest comes after the fatal shooting of a U.S. Marshal on Thursday in Harrisburg.

In Tamaqua, Cpl. Henry Woods was the arresting officer. He says it's his duty to protect others by standing in the face of danger.

"It's part of the job nobody like to think about it but that's a possibility every day throughout the United States," said Cpl. Woods.

Police say Valdez-Torres shot another man in the chest on West Rowe Street in Tamaqua over drug money.

Hazleton police say they were alerted by U.S. Marshals about the location of Valdez-Torres. That led them to West Diamond Avenue in Hazleton.

After organizing a special operation group, officers were able to put cuffs on Valdez-Torres.

Hazleton Police Chief Jerry Speziale says the safety of his officers depends on their preparedness.

"Make sure that we are tactically sound," said the chief.  "I want to make sure that we use the SWAT team, SOG team, and make sure we are prepared because in a split second it can all go wrong."

Chief Speziale says officers face the unknown every single time they put on the uniform.

"We do not just go to doors and take a chance, maybe somebody is there, maybe we can catch him on the sidewalk. It doesn't work that way. We make sure we are technically sound when we go through those doors."

Valdez-Torres is locked up. His next court appearance is set for next month.

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