Youngster shot in Queens: Jovan Younger in custody after 10-year-old Justin Wallace killed

FAR ROCKAWAY, Queens (WABC) – A suspect is on remand in connection with the fatal shooting of 10-year-old Justin Wallace in Queens on the boy’s 11th birthday.

Wallace was killed at his Far Rockaway home on Saturday night after being shot in the upper body.

He would have been eleven on Tuesday.

Jovan Young, 29, was arrested Tuesday for murder, attempted murder, assault and criminal possession of weapons.

On Monday Mayor Bill de Blasio promised that the “cowardly, terrible person who just happened to fire shots into a house” will be brought to justice.

“The killer will be found, yes, he will be brought to justice,” said de Blasio. “He will face the consequences of what he did.”

Police say the shooter drove to the house, drew a gun and started right the moment Wallace left the house. He left the house in the hail of fire, was hit and collapsed.

Wallace’s 29-year-old uncle was shot in the shoulder.

“No parent should ever go through the pain Justin’s parents are feeling right now,” said de Blasio. “Nobody should ever experience this. I will speak as a parent myself. All parents are constantly and deeply afraid that their life is not going to be the way it should be. They should see how their children live theirs. You should leave this earth before them. These parents struggle with the sudden, terrible loss of their beautiful 10 year old child. “

Wallace was a fifth grader at Challenge Charter School, slated to graduate from elementary school on Thursday.

Ten-year-old Kaylah Lungrin was his girlfriend.

“I started crying, I felt miserable, I miss him and I hope he’s in a good place,” she said. “He never left me sad, always had a smile on his face.”

Just hours before he was killed, Wallace sent Lungrin a playful text about a dinosaur. She didn’t get the news until Sunday, but by then her friend had been gone since kindergarten.

“His message came up and it said, ‘I can’t stay home. I have to go for a walk,'” said mother Natalie Lungrin.

De Blasio also calls on the state to reform its probation system.

He says that probation officers are too often dumped in urban emergency shelters, recently also in homeless hotels, without work, medical or psychological support.

De Blasio also says that with more than 1,000 new police officers who have just left the police academy, getting them to the right places is important. He also referred to the Cure Violence initiative and said these types of programs work.

But right now the shootings are up nearly 70%.

ALSO READ | Neighbors react to fatal shooting of 10-year-old man in Far Rockaway

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