A late‑afternoon drive‑by shooting on New Britain Avenue in Hartford on November 19, 2024, killed 20‑year‑old Jessiah Mercado and her 4‑month‑old son, Messiah Diaz. Jessiah, described as a Hispanic female, and the infant were riding in a car when another vehicle pulled alongside and opened fire. A man in his 20s who was also in the car was injured; the driver of Jessiah’s vehicle escaped unharmed and drove the wounded to Hartford Hospital, where Jessiah and the baby were pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Hartford police identified 23‑year‑old Lance Morales, also known as Macho, as the primary suspect and said the shooting stemmed from a dispute over a vehicle. An arrest warrant charged Morales with two counts of murder, criminal possession of a firearm, and first‑degree assault, with bond initially set at $3 million. He was captured in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, by the U.S. Marshals Service four days later and extradited to Connecticut; at arraignment in late December 2024 a judge increased bail to $5 million and prosecutors filed a murder with special circumstances charge for the deaths of two people in one event.

Anyone who saw the shooting on New Britain Avenue or who has information about the vehicle dispute is asked to come forward.