Windsor police have appealed to the public for help in solving the murder of a 20-year-old man in the downtown core.
A $5,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the men involved in the shooting death of Jason Pantlitz-Solomon in the early morning hours of August 27 on a downtown street corner.
Panlitz-Solomon and his 19-year-old girlfriend were on the northeast corner of University Ave. W and Ouellette Ave. around 2:40 a.m. when two men ran toward them across Ouellette, firing weapons. Both victims were struck. The men then ran back toward Ouellette and turned the corner and proceeded toward Chatham St., where police said they fled in a newer model white Nissan Altima. Panlitz-Solomon later died in hospital of his injuries, while his girlfriend was treated and released.
WPS Superintendent Jason Crowley said there are possible connections to an incident that occurred the following day in the Peel Region, where the victim was from. A vehicle matching the description of the getaway car was involved in an incident with police there, with a male suspect still at large.
"There was a firearm recovered in that white Nissan Altima which we strongly believe is related to the homicide of Mr. Solomon," said Crowley.
Crowley said police are convinced that this incident was targeted and the suspects did whatever was necessary to hide their identities.
"The two males were wearing hoodies, the hoods were over their heads and they were cinched close to their faces to conceal their identities," said Crowley. "Both males were in possession of firearms and both fired their firearms."
Panlitz-Solomon's murder is the eighth homicide in Windsor this year, but Crowley said police are appealing to the public for help since in the other seven, either a suspect has been identified or taken into custody.
An image of the suspects fleeing the scene following the shooting has been released by Windsor police and is shown above. The investigation is ongoing with WPS working with police in the Peel Region. Anyone who can provide information should call Windsor police at (519) 255-6700, ext. 4830. Anonymous tips can be phoned into Crime Stoppers at (519) 258-TIPS (8477) or submitted online.
Windsor Police Superintendent Jason Crowley speaks to reporters about the Jason Pantlitz-Solomon homicide case at Windsor police headquarters, October 25, 2018. Photo by Mark Brown/Blackburn News.