Greenwich Man Alleged Driver In Drive-By Shooting: Yonkers Police

GREENWICH, CT — Police say that a 21-year-old Greenwich man was the driver of the car that was involved in a drive-by shooting that left five people injured in front of a convenience store in Yonkers last week.

According to a news release from Yonkers Police, Andre McKenzie of St. Roch Avenue in Greenwich was arrested over the weekend and charged with attempted murder in the second degree, felony assault and criminal possession of a weapon. Two other people were also arrested, a 17-year-old from Mount Vernon, N.Y., who is believed to be the shooter, and Tyrese White, 18, also of Mount Vernon. They face the same charges as McKenzie. Police said a fourth suspect was apprehended as well.

On June 10 at approximately 4:15 p.m., a group of about 10 people were socializing on the sidewalk and in the street next to a convenience store at 150 Elm Street in Yonkers. Police said an older model gray Toyota Camry "advanced towards the group traveling east on Elm Street. As the vehicle began passing the group, an assailant leaned out the rear passenger window and fired a handgun multiple times in the direction of the group, striking multiple victims directly and indirectly with shrapnel."

Investigators believe that at least 10 shots were fired; 9mm spent cartridge casings were recovered at the scene.

The vehicle then fled the scene, police said, leaving several people injured. Officers responded, and found a 28-year-old female Yonkers resident with a gunshot injury to her chest; she was taken to a local area trauma center and was listed in critical but stable condition over the weekend.

The second victim was a 31-year-old male Yonkers resident with a gunshot injury to his leg; the third victim was a 24-year-old male Yonkers resident with a gunshot injury to his ankle; and the fourth victim was a 23-year-old male Yonkers resident with a gunshot injury to his right leg. All were taken to local area hospitals and listed in stable condition over the weekend. The fifth victim, upon examination, was determined not to have bullet-to-body contact.

Officers quickly identified a suspect vehicle, and after utilizing licence plate readers and other methods, located the vehicle in Mount Vernon. Detectives from the Major Case Squad, Crime Scene Unit, Gang and Narcotics Unit, and Digital Forensics Unit also responded to the shooting scene. Investigators interviewed subjects and witnesses, recovered surveillance video, and processed forensic and ballistic evidence.

"Investigators with the Yonkers Police Department, Mount Vernon Police Department, and agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force located and apprehended four suspects after a foot pursuit and recovered an illegal handgun – a Springfield Armory XD 9mm semi-automatic pistol believed to be the weapon used in the shooting incident," Yonkers Police said in a news release.

Police said the motivation for the shooting is related to gang activity, and that the shooter was targeting possible rivals in the group; the investigation into this matter is active and on-going. The case is being prosecuted by the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. Additional information may be released as it becomes available.