Wichita man arrested on suspicion of murder in fatal stabbing after fight

Police have arrested a 38-year-old Wichita man in a fatal stabbing that happened Saturday, according to arrest records released Thursday morning.

Pedro Juan Hernandez was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of intentional second-degree murder in the killing of 30-year-old Shawn Gomez of Wichita, records show. Hernandez was arrested in the 1700 block of North McComas, which is near 13th and West, and then booked into Sedgwick County Jail just after 10 p.m. Wednesday night.

A passerby called 911 around 1:55 p.m. Saturday about the stabbing in the 2600 block of East Harry. Police found Gomez on the front porch of a home with a stab wound to his upper chest. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition and later died.

“The investigation revealed that Gomez was in a physical altercation with an unknown male suspect when the suspect stabbed him before fleeing,” Wichita police spokesperson Juan Rebolledo said in a news release Saturday.

Police did not immediately respond when asked if they are looking for anyone else or what the fight was over.

The killing was the city’s 20th so far this year, according to a database kept by The Eagle based on homicides reported by police. There were 24 homicides at this time last year.

Eight of this year’s homicides have happened in the last roughly 33 days.

This story was originally published July 13, 2023 at 8:51 AM.