Person of interest in fatal Bensalem Halloween shooting found dead in Ohio: police

BENSALEM, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A person of interest in a Halloween night shooting that killed a 14-year-old in Bensalem, Pa. has died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, police announced Friday.

The body of 19-year-old Sean Hughes of Lower Makefield Township was found after a police pursuit in Marysville, Ohio.

He was identified as a person of interest in the shooting Tuesday that left Snyder Middle School student Peter Romano dead.

Bensalem police say they identified the vehicle used in the shooting through surveillance video and determined it was stolen out of Bristol Township.

On Thursday, police in Ohio recognized that car, which had been flagged as a vehicle involved in a felony.

Police tried to pull the car over and a pursuit began. The driver, identified as Hughes, then got out and fled on foot.

When police found him, he was dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

"He's a coward. He took the easy way out. He should've come forward and faced what he did," said the victim's aunt, Angela Romano.

Another person in the car, identified as 25-year-old Joshua Marquez, has been arrested on weapons charges.

Police in Marysville say Marquez - a convicted felon - was in possession of a gun and discarded it after the pursuit, but officers later found it.

There was no word on whether Marquez had any connection to the Bensalem shooting.

On Halloween night, Bensalem police responded to a report of teens fighting at Bristol Pike and Woodbine Ave.

Shots were fired, leaving Romano dead and two other teens - a 17-year-old and a 19-year-old - wounded. Both are expected to survive.

A family member said she is frustrated about this outcome.

"Honestly I wish that he would rot in jail for his life. I'm happy that he's in hell," said Romano's cousin, Gianna Romano.

She said she is still processing the loss of her cousin.

"Him and his friends used to come into my work all the time and just sit there and eat food, get drinks after riding their bikes," she said. "It's just going to be so hard not seeing that anymore."

Bensalem police say they are still investigating other possible suspects involved in this shooting, including others who were in the vehicle on Tuesday.

"We will continue to pursue all leads in our attempt to identify any other potential suspects engaged in the planning or solicitation of this crime, including occupants of the vehicle used in the murder," Bensalem police said. "We understand that people in our community are affected emotionally by this tragedy, and some to the extent that they may wish to take the law into their own hands. This must not happen."