11-Month-Old Baby Killed, 2 Children Injured, In Syracuse Shooting

In New York, police investigate a Syracuse shooting that killed a baby and wounded two other children.

According to Syracuse police, a baby girl was killed, and two other young girls were injured by bullets while in the backseat of a vehicle. 

Deputy Chief Derek McGork of Syracuse, New York, said at a midmorning news conference that the children were riding in a car with two people, their mothers, shortly before 7 p.m. on Sunday, April 11, when someone opened fire from a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction. 

Two women were driving when shots were fired from a moving vehicle, according to McGork. He clarified that the women sped away and then came to a halt when they realized the children had been shot.

According to Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick, the 11-month-old girl was shot several times during the Syracuse incident. He said the other two daughters, ages 3 and 8, are sisters and are expected to live.

The mother's kids rushed the kids to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse. Dior Harris, the infant, died shortly after birth. Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner said Monday that the other two daughters, 3-year-old and 8-year-old sisters, were in good health. Authorities did not reveal their identities.

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On Monday, no arrests had been made. Chief Kenton Buckner said police have no leads on a motive or possible suspects of the Syracuse shooting incident.

Mayor Ben Walsh of Syracuse, who lives less than a mile from the shooting site, said, "This is a nightmare, an unthinkable tragedy."

"How could someone in their right mind aim a gun at a car full of children and pull the trigger in broad daylight?" Walsh remarked. "It's beyond comprehension."

According to authorities, specialists withheld the victims' identities to protect their privacy and provide time for relatives to be informed.

Police were searching the area for surveillance video and urging anyone with information to come forward. Police did not yet identify the car from which the shots were fired.

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Syracuse Shooting Suspect

Authorities in New York have charged a man with second-degree murder after an 11-month-old girl killed on the spot and two other children were injured in a drive-by shooting over the weekend.

According to the OCDA, Syracuse Police arrested Chavez Ocasio, 23, on Monday. Second-degree murder, second-degree criminal possession of a firearm, and tampering with physical evidence were all levied against Ocasio. At his arraignment on Tuesday, he pleaded not guilty.

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According to OCDA, Ocasio faces life in jail and is housed at the Onondaga County Justice Center. On Friday, he is scheduled to appear in court.

McGork also explained the Syracuse shooting incident further that they sped away as the victims were being shot at. The driver, who happens to be the deceased's mother, came to a halt and dialed 911 when she realized the children were hurt.

According to online jail records, Chavez R. Ocasio, 23, is being held in the Onondaga County Justice Center on various charges, including violating his parole, interfering with physical evidence, and unlawful possession a firearm in the second degree. On Tuesday, he will appear in court for the first time.