Bensalem police arrest gunman who, they say, killed a 40-year-old man during ‘minor physical altercation'

Police in Bensalem are investigating after apprehending a man who, they believe, shot and killed a 40-year-old man during, what police called, a "minor physical altercation" at an apartment complex on Saturday evening.

According to police, Abel Mendoza-Ramirez, 31, of Bensalem, has been apprehended and charged with murder and related offenses after 40-year-old Jose Miguel Tenorio-Ruiz was shot and killed in the Bucks Meadows Apartment complex on the 3100 block of Knights Road, in Bensalem on Saturday.

Law enforcement officials said the shooting happened at about 5:48 p.m., when, they believe Tenorio-Ruiz and Mendoza-Ramirez were engaged in, what police believe was, a "minor physical altercation."

At some point during that altercation, officials said that witnesses told police that Mendoza-Ramirez left the scene and went to his personal vehicle and returned with a semi-automatic handgun.

When Mendoza-Ramirez returned, police said that witnesses told officers that he fired twice into the ground near Tenorio-Ruiz after they again exchanged words.

After those shots were fired, police said that Tenorio-Ruiz attempted to take the gun away from Mendoza-Ramirez at which time he was shot in the torso.

After the shooting, police officials said, Mendoza-Ramirez fled the scene in a Ford van, which was stopped at approximately 6:40 p.m. on Saturday night by an officer in Newtown Township. Mendoza-Ramirez was taken into custody at that time without incident, officials said.

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First responders to the scene at the Bucks Meadows Apartments complex immediately attempted life-saving procedures on Tenorio-Ruiz, but he was pronounced at a nearby hospital shortly after the shooting, according to police.

Police said that Mendoza-Ramirez is currently in custody at the Bucks County Jail where he is being held without bail.