New York.- A high-ranking official linked to public safety in Mount Vernon has been fired and is facing legal proceedings after being accused of using a vehicle to help her son escape following a shooting that occurred in the vicinity of the Bronx Criminal Court, in a case that authorities link to an alleged gang dispute.
The defendant is Jennifer Lackard, 49, who served as deputy commissioner of public safety and led the wellness unit of the Mount Vernon Police Department. She was arrested along with her son, Chase Lackard, 20, for the events recorded on June 29.
According to the indictment, Chase allegedly fired several shots from a vehicle at a group of people in the vicinity of East 162nd Street and Grand Concourse, behind the courthouse. Although no one was injured, the prosecution maintains that one of the individuals allegedly targeted in the attack belongs to a rival organization.
The young man faces charges including attempted murder, conspiracy, weapons possession, and reckless endangerment. However, the investigation took on an additional dimension due to the alleged role played by his mother before and after the attack.
Prosecutors claim that Jennifer allegedly drove the vehicle used to travel to the vicinity of the courthouse and coordinated via text messages the exact moment she was to pick up her son. Investigators maintain that they have communications and security camera recordings as part of the evidence in the case file.
According to the reconstruction presented by the Prosecutor’s Office, Jennifer picked up Chase and the young man’s father, James Lackard, in front of the courthouse. Subsequently, the car moved to the back of the building, where Chase allegedly opened fire from one of the windows at several people.
After the shots were fired, the official allegedly took the wheel again to return with her son to the family residence. The prosecution maintains that Chase changed her clothes afterward, an action that investigators interpret as an attempt to hinder her identification.
The case also reaches James Lackard, Jennifer’s ex-husband and the accused’s father, who was allegedly inside the vehicle during the events. The Bronx District Attorney’s Office reported that he was also charged as part of the proceedings.
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Following the announcement of the charges, Mount Vernon authorities announced the immediate termination of Jennifer Lackard’s employment. The department clarified that the investigated events are unrelated to her official responsibilities and did not occur as part of the performance of her duties.
Lackard had been working since 2020 at the head of the welfare unit and had experience in social work and programs oriented toward community reintegration, a professional background that his defense has used to question the image presented by the Prosecutor’s Office.
The former official pleaded not guilty and remains detained on a $75,000 bond, while her son also rejected the accusations and remains in custody without the right to bail. Jennifer is scheduled to appear in court again in September.
The court file also notes that Chase had three other pending cases related to firearms. In November 2024, he had been arrested after a surveillance camera allegedly captured him pointing a weapon at an officer from the New York Police Department (NYPD), who shot him in the leg during that incident.
The proceedings against mother and son will continue in the Bronx courts, where the Prosecutor’s Office must prove the accusations. Both maintain the presumption of innocence as long as there is no conviction.
