Hartford police are investigating a drive-by shooting on New Britain Avenue that killed a young mother and her infant son.
Authorities say a car pulled up alongside the victims' vehicle Tuesday afternoon and opened fire, killing 20-year-old Jessiah Mercado and her 4-month-old son, Messiah Diaz.
A third victim, a man in his 20s, was injured from a shotgun wound.
Hartford Police announced Wednesday afternoon that they have obtained an arrest warrant for Lance "Macho" Morales, 23, for his alleged role in the shooting.
Morales is charged with two counts of murder, in addition to criminal possession of a firearm, first degree assault and various other charges. He has a bond of $3 million.
Members of the public are advised to call 911 if they see Morales and not approach him, police said.
"This has hit the citizens of Hartford. The mothers and fathers, the grandparents, it has hit us all," Interim Police Chief Kenny Howell said.
Howell urged Morales to turn himself into police.
"You have taken the lives of an infant and his mother," he said. "We do not tolerate that in this city."
Officials: Shooting may stem from vehicle dispute
Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam says the city's violence prevention nonprofits are working to de-escalate the situation.
"Incredibly heartbreaking," he said. "I was with the family. As a dad, it's just heartbreaking to see."
Police said the victims were dropped off at Hartford Hospital following the shooting. The driver of the vehicle was not injured.
The suspect and the victims are acquaintances, police said. The shooting appeared to arise out of a dispute over a vehicle.
Community reaction
Hartford community advocates expressed sorrow over the shooting.
“It's painful,” said Janice Hill, who lost her son to gun violence in 2015. “How can a human being take another human being's life? Especially a child? That's senseless.”
Hill said community members must get over their "I don't care attitude" and come together to stop gun violence.
“Stop sitting in your house saying, ‘Oh, it ain't my child.’ It one day can be your child," Hill said.
Sunindiya Bhalla is an executive vice president at ROCA, which helps traumatized young people get back on their feet.
Mercado didn't have an easy life, she said, but she still wanted to help others.
"She was very warm, exuberant, passionate, a fierce advocate for herself, and encouraged other young women also to be advocates for themselves," Bhalla said. "It was really a privilege to be able to work with her.”
She said she knew Mercado before she transferred to their Springfield, Massachusetts team. Mercado was trying to break free of her past, she said. If she could talk to her now, that’s what she would focus on.
“I would give her a hug. She was a great hugger, and I would tell her that we really care about her, and we're proud of the young woman she was," Bhalla said.
The timing of the killings — about a week before Thanksgiving — is particularly sad, community members said.
“At this time of year, a time of joy, you’re supposed to be celebrating, it’s supposed to be family gatherings, everybody be enjoying themselves,” said the Rev. Henry Brown, co-founder of Mothers United Against Violence. “But here we are, mourning the tragic losses of life ... and this cowardly act took them.”
Brown said he has to deal with the consequences of gun violence "all the time."
“I’m sick of it,” he said.
Connecticut Public's Eddy Martinez, Mark Mirko, Chris Polansky, Matt Dwyer and Patrick Skahill contributed to this report.
