NASSAU COUNTY, LONG ISLAND (WABC) — Nassau County police have arrested a man in connection with two murders, including the slaying of a 19-year-old at a McDonald’s last year.
Featured video from previous coverage
A 20-year-old man from Hempstead has been charged with gang assault in connection with the fatal shot of Hector Manuel Valencia Gomezwho was shot dead multiple times in the parking lot of a McDonald’s in Hempstead in September 2022.
Police believe Valencia Gomez was the target and that the shooting was likely gang-related.
The incident happened around the time students were getting out of school, and some concerned parents whose children attend nearby Hempstead High School said it’s a tradition for students to go to McDonald’s after school.
“Our kids walk home from school,” said parent Yunique Red. “This is where they come to eat after school and go home. This should be a safe place. There are too many guns on the street.”
Activists and parents said they fear it will happen again and want to ensure safe travel in a community where no students are entitled to the bus.
Officials also say the suspect is also linked to another fatal shooting in July 2022, when a 21-year-old man was shot in a Uniondale Avenue park.
———-
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or idea for a story we should cover? Submit it to Eyewitness News using the form below. When you attach a video or photo, terms of use apply.
Copyright © 2023 WABC-TV. All rights reserved.
