Sandhill Man, Dean Vaccaro, Charged in Deadly Teen Shooting 

Police have charged thirty-four-year-old Dean Vaccaro of Sandhill Village in a deadly shooting that killed a teenage boy and left another critically injured. He now faces multiple charges, including murder and attempted murder, following Sunday night’s attack in Gardenia Village. Investigators say a lone gunman opened fire on a family gathering around eight p.m. Fifteen-year-old Rackeem Armstrong was fatally shot while at a nearby shop, while his cousin, eighteen-year-old Justin Young, suffered serious injuries. Police believe the shooting stems from a dispute over a missing motorcycle, but say the investigation is ongoing.

 

ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer

“As a result of the ongoing investigation into the shooting incident which resulted in the murder of fifteen-year-old Rackeem Armstrong and the shooting injury of 18-year-old Justin Young, police have formally arrested and charged thirty-four-year-old Dean Vaccaro of Sand Hill Village for the crimes of murder, attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm, and dangerous harm.”

 

Voice of: Father of Deceased

“Whoever did this, they know who they are. But everything is being left in God’s hand, and I believe and I know that my God will deal with this. And to me, mistaken identity, wrong place at the wrong time, those are both scenarios that keep taking place over and over in these and I just wanna put it out there that it doesn’t make no sense killing ourselves, killing each other for stupidness, stupidity. They make their emotions rise, they get angry. And instead of thinking of the consequences, they just go and do something. Probably they’re high too on alcohol or drugs or whatever they were on. And they keep these scenarios keep happening over and over. And we just wanna ask for prayers for our family for strengthening and just for strengthening us and covering us and cover us in your prayers. We just ask for that.”

 

The family of Justin Young is still seeking blood donations at this time.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

Watch the full newscast here: