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Former Mount Vernon police official accused of attempted murder in Bronx shooting
By
Ben Feuerherd
Published Aug 4, 2026
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Photo by David Butow/Corbis via Getty Images
By
Ben Feuerherd
Published Aug 4, 2026
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A former top official in the Mount Vernon Police Department was charged with attempted murder and conspiracy Tuesday. A police source with knowledge of the matter said she is accused of acting as a getaway driver for her son after he allegedly opened fire on a group of people near a Bronx courthouse.
The source was not authorized to speak publicly about the details of the case.
Jennifer Lackard, who served as the deputy police commissioner of wellness for the Westchester County department, was arrested alongside her 20-year-old son, Chase Lackard, according to spokespeople from the NYPD and Mount Vernon Police Department.
The Lackards could not immediately be reached for comment, and attorney information for them was not immediately available.
Like his mother, Chase Lackard faces attempted murder and conspiracy charges. He faces an additional charge of criminal possession of a firearm.
In the shooting, a gunman opened fire at a group of people soon before noon on June 29 at East 162nd Street and Grant Avenue, near the Bronx courthouse, an NYPD spokesperson said. No one was injured in the shooting, according to the NYPD spokesperson.
Jennifer Lackard allegedly drove the shooter away from the scene after the shots rang out, the police source who was not authorized to speak publicly about the shooting said.
Jennifer and Chase Lackard are scheduled to be arraigned in Bronx criminal court Tuesday, according to Hubert Wiggins, spokesperson for the Bronx district attorney’s office.
Lackard was terminated from her job after her arrest and the allegations are not related to her former job, Mount Vernon's Director of Communications Tim Allen said in a statement.
“The Mount Vernon Police Department remains fully committed to its nationally recognized Wellness Unit. The department will continue to operate without interruption, and the critical wellness services and support it provides to our officers, civilian employees, their families and the community at large will continue as part of the Department's ongoing commitment to the health and well-being of its workforce,” Allen said.
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westchester
Ben Feuerherd
Ben Feuerherd covers public safety and policing for WNYC and Gothamist. He previously covered federal courts for The New York Post and The Messenger. His work has also appeared in POLITICO, the Daily Beast and NBC New York. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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