Mount Vernon Deputy Commissioner of Wellness Jennifer Lackard was fired and arrested Tuesday by New York authorities, who charged her with attempted murder and accused her of facilitating her son's escape from a shooting near the Bronx Criminal Courthouse. Lackard, 49, and her 20-year-old son, Chase Lackard, were taken into custody Tuesday in connection with a June 29 shooting that occurred near East 162nd Street and Grand Avenue in the Bronx.
"She had devoted approximately two decades of her professional career to helping others and argued that the allegations presented by prosecutors did not reflect her life or work." — Attorney for Jennifer Lackard, ABC News
Police reports indicate that officers responded to the vicinity shortly before midnight after receiving calls regarding shots fired and a suspected gunman departing the area in a vehicle. Investigators have since alleged that Chase Lackard discharged a semiautomatic weapon at a group of individuals during a dispute believed to be gang-related. Prosecutors contend that his intended target was an individual associated with a rival gang, though no one was reported struck or injured in the incident.
Authorities further allege that Jennifer Lackard was directly involved in her son's escape from the scene of the shooting. Court records, as cited by local media outlets, suggest that Chase Lackard sent a message to his mother requesting her to await him outside the courthouse. Prosecutors claim that Jennifer Lackard responded, emphasizing the need for coordinated timing and stating that the vehicle could not remain directly in front of the location, as reported by PIX11. Following the shooting, Chase Lackard allegedly entered a vehicle, which Jennifer Lackard then drove away. Prosecutors added that the family subsequently traveled to another location where Chase Lackard reportedly changed his clothes. Court documents also indicate that James Lackard, Jennifer Lackard’s former husband and Chase Lackard’s father, was present in the vehicle during these events.
Jennifer Lackard and her son have both been charged with attempted murder, attempted assault, criminal possession of a firearm, conspiracy, and reckless endangerment. During her arraignment on Tuesday, Jennifer Lackard entered a plea of not guilty to the charges. Her attorney addressed the court, stating that she has dedicated approximately two decades of her professional life to public service, assisting others, and argued that the allegations presented by prosecutors do not accurately reflect her life or her extensive work, according to ABC News.
The City of Mount Vernon promptly announced Jennifer Lackard’s immediate termination from her position. She had served as the police department’s deputy commissioner of wellness and had previously held various other leadership roles within the city's public safety sector. City officials issued a statement clarifying that the allegations against Lackard are unrelated to her official responsibilities with the Mount Vernon Police Department and did not stem from her duties within the department. The city affirmed that its Wellness Unit would continue its operations without interruption, ensuring that services for officers, civilian employees, their families, and the wider community would remain accessible, as reported by FOX 5 New York.
The case is currently being prosecuted by the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office. Mount Vernon officials have stated that they will refrain from providing further comment on the underlying allegations due to the ongoing nature of the criminal case. Jennifer Lackard is scheduled to appear in court again in September.
This is not Chase Lackard's first encounter with criminal allegations involving firearms. Police records indicate he was arrested earlier in 2024 after allegedly pointing a loaded gun at officers in the Bronx. During that confrontation, officers discharged their weapons, and he was hospitalized in stable condition before facing subsequent weapons-related charges. He was also reportedly arrested on a separate gun charge earlier in 2024. Furthermore, in 2023, at the age of 17, Chase Lackard sustained a gunshot wound to the chest during a reported dispute involving gang signs on a Bronx bus, an incident for which a 14-year-old was later charged with attempted murder, according to The Guardian. Authorities have confirmed that no injuries were reported from the June shooting incident that led to the current charges against Jennifer and Chase Lackard.
