Miguel Martinez, 56, of Allentown, and David Vasquez, 33, of Bethlehem, were committed to the Lehigh County Prison, Allentown, on burglary charges and gun offenses after an armed burglary and officer-shooting incident on Christmas Eve at the Fountain Hill Pharmacy.

Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan and Fountain Hill Police Chief Ed Bachert said they are charged with burglary, possession, use or control of a firearm without authorization, recklessly endangering another person, theft by unlawful taking or disposition, prohibited offensive weapon and possessing an instrument of crime.

Both men were arraigned today by District Judge Jacob Hammond and are in jail in lieu of $750,000 bail each.

Officials said at 9:08 p.m. Christmas Eve, Fountain Hill police received a burglar alarm activation at the pharmacy, after which time two officers responded there and reported seeing two armed men inside the business. They said one of the burglars pointed a firearm at an officer, who opened fire but did not hit either defendant.

Police said several gunshots were fired by Vazquez but no one was injured by any of the gunfire. They said two of the shots fired by Vazquez from inside the pharmacy appear to have entered a nearby occupied home located at 1046 Broadway in Fountain Hill.

Police said the incident turned into a standoff when the two men refused commands to come out of the pharmacy.

Residents were warned to stay in their homes during the standoff and both men eventually surrendered to law enforcement officers with no further shots being fired.

Police said their investigation revealed the men broke into the pharmacy, spray painted surveillance cameras while inside and stole medications.

During a subsequent search of the pharmacy, a 9mm handgun used by the defendants during the burglary was found and five discharged 9mm cartridge casings were recovered.

Their preliminary hearings will be at 9:45 a.m. Dec. 31, 2024.

The district attorney said each time an officer uses potentially deadly force in the line of duty, a separate investigation is conducted to determine whether that use of deadly force was justified.