HARTFORD, Conn. — Authorities have apprehended a man believed to be responsible for the tragic shooting deaths of a mother and her infant son in Hartford, Connecticut. This arrest took place on Saturday in Puerto Rico, according to officials.

The U.S. Marshals Service reported that they located Lance “Macho” Morales at a residence in the Fajardo district. Morales, a 23-year-old from Waterbury, is accused of firing upon the vehicle occupied by 20-year-old Jessiah Mercado and her 4-month-old son during a confrontation over a car on Tuesday.

Tragically, both Mercado and her baby lost their lives, and another individual in the vehicle suffered injuries in the incident. Following his arrest, Morales is being held with a bond set at $3 million as he awaits extradition back to Connecticut. This week, an arrest warrant was issued for him, charging him with two counts of murder among other offenses, as noted by law enforcement officials.

The details regarding whether Morales has legal representation were not readily available. During the investigation, police sent out emails to the relevant authorities seeking confirmation about any attorney involvement.

Detectives managed to identify Morales as a suspect by reviewing video footage from the crime scene and gathering information from the public. In a press conference on Wednesday, Acting Hartford Police Chief Kenny Howell publicly encouraged Morales to turn himself in.

Reports indicate that Morales had only recently been released from prison, having served three years for attempted assault. The commitment to justice in the wake of this violent act has been underscored by Acting U.S. Marshal for the District of Connecticut, Lawrence Bobnick. He stated in a news release that both the Hartford Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service’s Violent Fugitive Task Forces in Connecticut and Puerto Rico have been diligently working to apprehend the suspect.