In the early morning hours of June 9, 2016, a tragic event unfolded inside a residence on Lawson Street in Hempstead, New York, that would claim the life of 37-year-old Damien Pinckney. Pinckney, a male resident of the home, was shot once in the chest at approximately 4:10 a.m. He was rushed to a local hospital, but the injury proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead at 5:59 a.m.
Another individual, a 19-year-old male, was also struck by gunfire, sustaining a non-life-threatening wound to the arm. He was treated at a hospital and subsequently released.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led to an arrest. Laquasia Calloway, a 20-year-old woman from Hempstead, was taken into custody in connection with the incident. According to authorities, the shooting was not an intentional act of malice, but rather the result of reckless behavior. Prosecutors stated that Calloway had been 'playing with' a loaded 9mm handgun when it discharged, striking both Pinckney and the other young man.
Following her arrest, Laquasia Calloway was charged with criminally negligent homicide and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. She was arraigned in First District Court in Hempstead where a judge set her bail. The case highlighted the devastating consequences of irresponsible firearm handling, leaving a community to mourn the senseless loss of Damien Pinckney.
