HARTFORD, Conn. — Authorities in Connecticut are actively searching for a man suspected of fatally shooting a woman and her infant child in a vehicle amidst a dispute concerning a car.
Acting Hartford Police Chief Kenny Howell has publicly urged the alleged perpetrator, Lance “Macho” Morales, who was released this year after serving three years for attempted assault, to surrender to law enforcement.
“Lance, you need to turn yourself in to the Hartford Police Department for the heinous acts you’ve committed,” Howell stated during a news conference broadcasted to the public. “This tragedy strikes at the very heart of our community.”
According to police, Morales, 23, hailing from Waterbury, Connecticut, reportedly pulled up next to a vehicle containing the victims around 3 p.m. on Tuesday in Hartford and began shooting. It has been reported that the primary target of the attack was Jessiah Mercado, a 20-year-old woman from Springfield, Massachusetts, with whom Morales had a prior acquaintance tied to their car-related dispute, as explained by Hartford Police Lt. Aaron Boisvert.
Tragically, Mercado’s 4-month-old son lost his life in the incident, and another man in his 20s who was in the vehicle also sustained gunshot wounds, though his condition was not life-threatening, according to Boisvert. A fourth individual, the driver of the car, was unharmed and managed to drive the wounded to a nearby hospital in Hartford for treatment.
Detectives were reportedly able to identify Morales through surveillance footage from the crime scene and tips from community members. Howell emphasized that Morales is to be considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached under any circumstances. He is currently wanted on multiple charges with a bond set at $3 million.