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Officers from the Yonkers Police Department on patrol in the area of Cottage Place Gardens shortly before 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 9, when they heard several gunshots near them. Following the gunshots, they received reports of shots fired on Lamartine Terrace, leading to the officers to canvas the area.
Yonkers Police Det. Sgt. Dean Politopoulos said that officers interviewed several witnesses at the scene and determined that shots had been fired in the area and a suspect was spotted running into an apartment at 28 Lamartine Terrace. Investigators interviewed the occupants of the residence and found an illegal Smith & Wesson .357 revolver in the apartment in addition to multiple handgun cartridges. Three suspects were subsequently placed into custody.
Detectives from the Crime Scene Unit responded to the scene to process forensic and ballistic evidence including the recovery of three spent shell casings located outside the building. Further investigation led to the recovery of a second illegal weapon, a loaded Springfield Armory 9mm semi-automatic pistol – and a high capacity magazine.
The investigation led police to Justice Watson, a 17-year-old Yonkers resident who lived at Lamartine Terrace. He was arrested and charged with two counts of criminal possession of a firearm and one count of criminal possession of a weapon. He was arraigned on the charges and remanded to the Westchester County Jail without bail. Watson is scheduled to appear in court on Friday, Feb. 15. The investigation is ongoing.
“Illegal guns have no place in our communities, and our police officers and detectives are committed to finding those individuals who would illegally possess firearms and commit violent acts, delivering them into the criminal justice system where they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Yonkers Police Commissioner Charles Gardner stated. “I commend our officers for taking two more illegal handguns off our streets.”
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