On Thursday night, wanted posters for murder suspect Justin Soriano were still hanging on utility poles in the Harlem neighborhood where he allegedly shot and killed 31-year-old Shanice Young on Sunday morning. 

Earlier in the day, the NYPD said that a fugitive task force had finally located and arrested the 40-year-old at the home of an acquaintance in the Bronx. 

What You Need To Know

  • According to the NYPD, 40-year-old Justin Soriano of the Bronx was arrested at the home of an acquaintance on Thursday morning after several days on the run

  • Soriano is charged with 2nd degree murder in the fatal shooting death of his former girlfriend, 31-year-old Shanice Young, who was 8-months pregnant at the time of her death

  • Police said Thursday that the shooting happened as Young returned to her Harlem apartment, early Sunday morning, following a baby shower in her honor at another location
  • The NYPD said that Soriano first chased the victim’s new boyfriend away before he returned about 30 to 60 seconds later to kill Young

“You don’t want this going on too long. You want to send a message out there that if you do any crime as heinous as this, there are going to be repercussions,” said Deputy Inspector Amir Yakatally, the commanding officer of the NYPD’s 32nd Police Precinct. 

Soriano is now accused of 2nd degree murder in the shooting death of his former partner, 31-year-old Shanice Young. 

Young, who was eight months pregnant at the time of her death, had just returned home from her baby shower at another location when she was killed.

“There was an argument. The current boyfriend is at the scene and after Mr. Soriano brandishes a firearm, he chases the new boyfriend away. Then he comes back, confronts Miss Young, shoots and hits Miss Young in the face,” said NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig.

Now, some of the gifts from Young’s baby shower, including clothing for a newborn baby, have been added to the make-shift memorial outside of her home on W. 128th Street. 

At the scene on Thursday night, Young’s family members revealed to NY1 that the shooting took place in front of four juveniles, including Young’s two children. 

One, a 15-year-old girl, called her grandmother after the shooting happened to ask for help.  

Dierdra Thomas, the grandmother to Young’s 15-year-old daughter, said that she’s taking things day by day and is managing as best that she can with the help of two local domestic violence groups, W.A.R.M and Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E., and assistance provided by religious leaders in the neighborhood. 

“We are using our experience to help these families through their experience because we have experienced it ourselves,” said Stephanie McGraw, the founder and CEO of W.A.R.M.

“There’s another layer with the clergy. We can be with them and pray with them and talk with them,” said Pastor Staci Ramos of Garden of Gethsemane Ministry Inc.

What some community advocates are still struggling with is if the tragedy could have been prevented. 

According to the NYPD, Soriano had an extensive criminal history with 17 previous arrests.

“This young man, I understand had all these priors and all of them with guns and abuse, domestic violence and you have him on the street? Something is mighty wrong,” said Jackie Rowe-Adams of Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E.

Community members said that the issue is not with the NYPD, but that they would like to see more community investment in domestic violence services, violence interruption programs and other resources.