MANHATTAN, NY – Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., announced on Wednesday the indictment of Jonadel Lakard, 23, Kelwin Sanchez, 19, and Raheam Steed, 22, for their alleged involvement in the drive-by shooting and subsequent murder of 66-year-old Reda Girgis.
The crime happened in front of a deli in Washington Heights on May 23, at approximately 7:00 pm.
The indictment states that the defendants participated in a retaliatory shooting that killed Mr. Girgis, an innocent bystander visiting from Egypt. The defendants allegedly fired shots from a moving vehicle towards a group of young men they considered rivals. Mr. Girgis, caught near the line of fire, was hit in the head and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
On June 7, officers from the New York City Police Department executed search warrants on the apartments of Lakard and Steed. They recovered a firearm from Lakard’s apartment, along with clothing he was reported to be wearing during the shooting. They also found firearms in Steed’s apartment. Sanchez was arrested outside his home, wearing what appeared to be the same clothes he wore during the shooting.
All three men face serious charges, including Murder in the Second Degree, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree.