High-Tech Police Tool Helps Quickly Nab Suspect In Holiday Weekend Slaying

YONKERS, NY — The Yonkers Police Department has charged a Westchester man in connection to the Labor Day shooting death.

Just before 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, Yonkers police responded to Ludlow Street after receiving a report of a shooting. Officers arriving at the scene found a 42-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his abdomen. Emergency medical care was rendered at the scene and the victim was rushed to an area hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

The victim has been identified as 42-year-old Felix Santiago, of Yonkers.

Detectives from the Yonkers Police Major Case Squad and the Crime Scene Unit processed the scene. The investigators believe the gun violence was targeted, stemming from a dispute between the suspect and a family member of the victim. As the suspect walked by the victim, he fired a total of three gunshots, one of which struck the victim in his abdomen.

As the suspect fled the scene after the shooting, officers in the Yonkers Police AWARE Crime Control Center located him on Yonkers Police Department security cameras and relayed his updated description and location to patrol officers. Officers from the 3rd Precinct soon found the suspect and took him into custody

"This quick arrest is the direct result of prompt patrol response, solid investigation, and using the technology available to us to apprehend this killer within 15 minutes of the incident, just a few blocks away from the crime," Police Commissioner Christopher Sapienza stated. "Fair warning to those thinking of committing violence in our city — we have the resources here to identify you, locate you, and quickly place you into custody to answer for your acts."

The suspect was identified as 26-year-old Linzell Staggers, of Yonkers. He is being charged with murder and felony criminal possession of a weapon.

He had a 9mm handgun with an extended 30-round magazine on him when he was arrested, according to police.