Feb. 20, 2002 – Police have arrested a suspect in the shooting death of one man and the wounding of another Monday night at the Harborview housing community, and a second suspect is being sought.
Ishmael "Akiel" McIntosh was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Donald Lewis. Lt. Gregory Bennerson, chief investigator in the case, said McIntosh was taken into custody Tuesday evening as he tried to enter a taxi van near Sion Farm.
According to Bennerson, police had warrants issued by Territorial Court Presiding Judge Maria Cabret for the arrest of McIntosh and Lenroy "Bend Up" Benjamin within hours of the shootings around 10:30 p.m. Monday. "It was a matter of lining up the evidence before executing the warrant," he said.
He said Benjamin remained at large Wednesday afternoon.
McIntosh was charged and Benjamin is being sought in connection with the death of Lewis, 31, who was struck in the head, and the wounding of David Encarnacion, 22. Encarnacion, who was wounded in the neck, was first taken to Juan F. Luis Hospital then airlifted to Puerto Rico. Bennerson said Wednesday that he had undergone surgery at Centro Medico and remained in critical condition.
Police responding to reports of shots fired Monday night in the Harborview area found the victims. According to police officials, it's believed that the two men, both residents of the housing community, were innocent bystanders, not targets of the gunfire. They were sitting outside an apartment building among a group of people playing video games, according to Police Chief Novelle Francis, when the two assailants sprayed the group with a volley of shots.
Francis said on Tuesday that the assailants apparently had gone to the building intending to commit a robbery which had to do with a feud between rival gangs.
Bennerson said the ongoing investigation is expected to lead to more arrests. Information on bail conditions for McIntosh was not immediately available.