On a summer evening in North Arlington, New Jersey, a dispute escalated into a tragedy that claimed the life of 28-year-old Brian Dominick Lockett. On July 19, 2026, Lockett, a father of two, was shot and killed during a confrontation. The incident also resulted in the death of his 29-year-old cousin, Ezequiel Aquino. The shooting occurred around 8:37 p.m. near the intersection of Ridge Road and the Belleville Turnpike. Responding officers found both Lockett and Aquino with gunshot wounds. They were transported to University Hospital in Newark, where they were pronounced dead. The altercation reportedly began as an argument between two small groups of people.
The events leading to the fatal shooting stemmed from a child custody exchange. Lockett had gone to pick up his children when an argument broke out with his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend.
According to Lockett's mother, a man then exited a rented van that had accompanied the boyfriend and fired multiple shots, striking Lockett and Aquino. The shooter then fled in the van, while the boyfriend left in his own vehicle. Investigators later recovered both vehicles believed to be involved in the incident. The children present at the scene were not physically harmed.
An investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office and the North Arlington Police Department led to the arrests of four individuals in connection with the double homicide. Leibys A. Mercedes, 26, was identified as the alleged shooter and, along with his brother Lydell M. Mercedes, 24, was charged with two counts of murder and weapons-related offenses. Altray K. Brown, 33, and Yolanda K. Montgomery, 30, were also arrested. They face charges of endangering an injured victim and endangering the welfare of a child, as they allegedly fled the scene with two young children who were not properly secured in car seats. The investigation concluded that all four individuals were involved in the altercation and left the victims at the scene without rendering aid or contacting law enforcement. As of early August 2026, the four accused individuals had been arrested and were awaiting further legal proceedings. The case against the four suspects is pending in the Bergen County judicial system, with the community left to grapple with the violent loss of two young men.
