Neighbors urge action on Lower Heidelberg house after teenager gets shot during party

By Steve Reinbrecht

The 16-year-old boy shot early Sunday morning after a party in a vacant house in Lower Heidelberg was released from the hospital and is doing OK, a neighbor said Monday.

A boy was shot after a party in this house
at 4219 Hill Terrace, Lower Heidelberg.

Before declining further comment, the young woman said the victim was a family member of hers, lives in Muhlenberg Township, and was shot in an arm.

As many as 150 people were at the party from about 1 a.m. until about 2:30 a.m., when fighting started outside and the boy was shot.

Neighbors reported hearing about six shots.

Township police arrested an 18–year-old man from Reading on Monday and charged him with attempted homicide, the Reading Eagle reported. 

Police have not identified the victim or said if they had a suspect. Township Detective Chris Stouch said Monday that he would be able to release more information Tuesday.

The house at 4219 Hill Terrace, the left side of a duplex, has a history of problems.

At their meeting Monday night, neighbor Mark Wallace urged township supervisors to deal with the house, which he said has been a problem for more than a year.

Wallace said he has called police many times because of loud parties, and has reported problems to the codes department, but now, with a shooting, the matter is urgent.

“My family and I should not be hiding in our closets in our bedrooms with bullets whizzing by in a secluded neighborhood on Hill Terrace,” he told the board.

His wife, Alison, said she has reported finding crack pipes outside the house to the police.

“It’s not how you’re supposed to live,” she told the supervisors. “This shooting is the culmination. Fortunately, he was just hurt. But it’s getting worse.”

Mark Wallace said he went out after the shooting and saw about 10 officers with 50-75 teenagers.

He urged the township to force the landowner to be accountable.

County records show that Eleni and Maria Soulimiotis, in care of Mark Shoener of Spring Township, bought the properties at 4217 and 4219 Hill Terrace in December 2007.

Andrew Kraft, code-enforcement officer, said the owner has not responded to notices. He said a new property manager has asked for time to get paperwork in order.

The township plans to secure the building after the investigation.