Overview
- Prosecutors allege that on June 29 a 20-year-old fired from a vehicle outside the Bronx Criminal Court at a rival but missed, and that family members then helped him flee.
- Authorities executed a search warrant at the Lackard family's Soundview apartment and arrested Jennifer and her son on Tuesday, Aug. 4, leading Mount Vernon to terminate her employment immediately.
- Court filings and prosecutors say surveillance footage and contemporaneous text-message exchanges show Jennifer coordinated pickup timing and served as a getaway driver.
- All three family members were named in an indictment charging attempted murder, conspiracy, weapons offenses and reckless endangerment; Jennifer pleaded not guilty and posted $75,000 cash bail while her son, Chase, was ordered held without bail and is due back in September.
- The case highlights Chase Lackard’s prior violent incidents and alleged gang ties dating to 2023–2024, and it raises questions about Mount Vernon’s vetting and the reputational fallout for local officials.