Another Suspect Arrested In Fatal Shooting Of 4-Year-Old Lloyd Morgan
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A third suspect has been arrested and charged in connection with the shooting death of a young Bronx boy.
Ronald Jeffrey, a 19-year-old from the Bronx, faces second-degree murder, attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon charges.
On Wednesday, 17-year-old Rondell Pinkerton was formally charged with murder in the shooting of 4-year-old Lloyd Morgan during a charity basketball tournament at the Forest Houses in the Morrisania section of the Bronx.
Courtney Kelly, 26, was also arrested and faces weapons charges.
Pinkerton claimed when he arrived at the basketball tournament, he was handed a .45 caliber handgun by an older friend. Prosecutors said Pinkerton said two men from a rival crew started shooting at him and he returned fire.
In the crossfire, one of those bullets hit young Lloyd Morgan, who was playing on a playground nearby, police said.
Pinkerton, who is known as "Spyder" on the streets, was caught up in a web of drugs and violence, according to authorities.
"They're young men who hang out who do some low-level drug dealing, who were having this dispute. We think this was at the heart of the shooting where Lloyd Morgan was killed," Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said.
CBS 2 learned earlier in the week that Pinkerton moved out of state as a youngster, returned to the Bronx to live with relatives last year, but did not enroll in city schools.
Last fall, he was busted for marijuana possession, but was not in the NYPD gang database, police said.
At least three guns were involved in the shootout, police said. Investigators recovered shell casings from a .25 caliber handgun, a .380 caliber handgun and a .45 caliber handgun.
Pinkerton will be back in court on July 30 and will remain behind bars without bail until then.
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