Second Arrest Made in Shooting of 10-Year-Old in Queens

NEW YORK

The NYPD have arrested a second person in connection with the fatal shooting of 10-year-old Justin Wallace earlier this month.

Astram Lochan, 26, is facing three counts of criminal possession of a weapon and four counts of criminal possession of a firearm, Fox News 5 reported.

Lochan’s wife, Elizabeth, was also arrested and is facing the same charges.

The shooting was believed to have stemmed from a neighborhood dispute over a parking spot.

After the murder, Mayor Bill de Blasio called on the state to reform parole laws, arguing the city has no system to deal with people recently released from jail, leading too many of the parolees to return to a life of crime.

“State parolees are more likely to be shooting suspects than they have been in the past. They are four times more likely to be involved in gun violence than others who have been involved in the criminal justice system,” de Blasio said. “A ten-year-old child who should be alive today, should be in school right now, killed by a cowardly, horrible human being who fired gunshots just randomly into a home.”

Jovan Young, 28, was arrested last week on suspicion of being the gunman who shot at Wallace and his older cousin as the two stood outside Wallace’s aunt’s home. Young was charged with charged with murder, attempted murder, assault, and criminal possession of a weapon.

Wallace, a fifth grade student, was a week away from his eleventh birthday.

“My thanks to the @NYPDDetectives & everyone who worked around the clock on this investigation — tirelessly seeking justice for an innocent 10-year-old boy,” Shea tweeted regarding the arrest.

De Blasio tweeted, “If you shoot and kill in New York City, you will be caught. You will be arrested. You will be held accountable.”

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smarcus@hamodia.com

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