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Hartford police searching for suspect in ‘horrific’ shooting that killed 20-year-old mother and infant
Jessiah Mercado, 20, and her 4-month old son, Messiah, died Tuesday in a shooting in Hartford, Conn.
Authorities in Hartford, Connecticut are asking for the public’s help locating the suspect in a shooting that killed a 20-year-old mother and her infant son on Tuesday.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Hartford Interim Police Chief Kenny Howell identified the shooting victims as 20-year-old Jessiah Mercado and her 4-month-old son, Messiah.
“Each one of the officers back here have been in law enforcement for a long time,” Howell said. “And there are some events, some cases, some incidents that follow you throughout your life. And I can tell you now, that this will be one of those incidents. This is a sad day for us in the City of Hartford.”
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Howell identified the suspect as 23-year-old Lance Morales of Waterbury, Connecticut. He asked for the public’s help locating him.
“I’m going to say this, do not approach this individual,” the chief said. “He is to be considered armed and dangerous. You are to contact 9-1-1 if you see this individual.”
Hartford police said officers responded around 2:47 p.m. on Tuesday to a report of multiple people suffering from gunshot wounds arriving in a vehicle at Hartford Hospital.
Mercado and her son were pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital, police said. A third victim, a man in his 20s, was treated for a gunshot wound that was not life-threatening. The fourth occupant of the vehicle, the driver, was not injured.
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Police located the scene of the shooting near 380 New Britain Ave., finding multiple shell casings in the area. Video recovered during the course of the investigation showed Mercado’s car parked in the area when another vehicle pulled alongside the car and the suspect, identified as Morales, allegedly opened-fire before fleeing the scene, according to police.
Authorities said the shooting stemmed from a dispute between Morales and Mercado, who they described as “acquaintances,” over a vehicle.
An arrest warrant for Morales has been issued on the charges of criminal possession of a firearm, assault, criminal attempt to commit assault, two counts of murder, and murder with special circumstances, police said. His bond has been set at $3 million.
Howell addressed Morales, who also goes by “Macho,” directly during Wednesday’s press conference.
“Lance, you have no other option but to hand yourself in to the Hartford Police Department for the horrific crimes that you have done,” the police chief said. “You see this hit the heart of Hartford. … After this press conference, Lance, I want you to pick up the phone and hand yourself in to this department. Because if you do not, I promise you — and I make good on my promises — that you will be apprehended and I will use all resources to apprehend you. State, federal, and all the partners that I have.”
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Police said Morales fled the scene of the shooting in a white Infinity Q-70 with a Massachusetts license plate 3NEB35, but they noted that they believe he has access to several vehicles.
According to MassLive, Mercado lived with her son in Springfield, Massachusetts. The infant was reportedly in the Bay State’s foster care system.
“DCF is investigating this tragic situation and working in collaboration with law enforcement,” the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families said in a statement to MassLive.
Hartford police said the investigation into the shooting remains active, with multiple law enforcement agencies involved in the search for Morales.
