On December 19, 1995, shoppers at Little Chester Shoes on White Plains Road in the Pelham Parkway section of the Bronx were caught in a suddenly deadly attack. Maria Carrasquillo, 38, was shopping with her two sons when a man who had earlier posed as a customer returned and, after being told the store didn’t have what he wanted in his size, produced a 9mm pistol and opened fire. Five people were killed in the store that day, including Carrasquillo and her sons; three others were critically wounded.

Witnesses and investigators said the shooting unfolded as the gunman moved through the crowded aisles and behind the counters, and that he forced a hostage with him while fleeing. Police confronted him outside; a gun battle followed and the suspect was shot, captured a short distance away, and the weapon was seized. The suspect, identified as Michael Vernon, then 22, was charged while hospitalized; prosecutors later indicted him on numerous counts including murder and attempted murder. He was convicted at trial, with his mental state a central issue during proceedings.