NEWBURGH – A Newburgh police man suspected of fatally shooting 29-year-old Daquan Corbett in September has been arrested in North Carolina and is awaiting extradition to New York.
The Newburgh City Police Department told reporters Tuesday that a month-long investigation by local detectives and partner law enforcement agencies traced the suspect, 29-year-old Lamont Williams, to a North Carolina RV where he was found hiding from police a cabinet. He was taken into custody by the US Marshal Service Regional Task Force.
“Just good work, investigative work,” said Police Commissioner José Gomérez. “We have good detectives who have been out there day and night. They kept knocking on doors and asking people and following every lead we got until we got to the suspect.”
Gomérez said Williams has “connections” in North Carolina, but police don’t know if they are family or friends of the suspect.
“But he definitely knew who to turn to and who to go to,” he said.
Williams was arrested on an indictment-based arrest warrant and will be charged when he returns to New York. All charges against Williams will be released at this time.
The shooting took place around 7 p.m. on September 29 near Washington Street and Clark Street. When police arrived at the scene, they found two people with gunshot wounds: Corbett, who had been shot multiple times, and a 5-year-old boy with injuries that police said were not life-threatening. They were taken in police cars to Montefiore St Luke’s Cornwall Hospital on Dubois Street. Corbett died in hospital and the boy was flown to Westchester Medical Center for treatment.
Gomérez said police recovered a gun near the scene but declined to release details about the gun because the investigation is open.
Newburgh City Chief of Staff Mike Neppl said Det. Justin DeMoulin “cracked the case” regarding the hunt for the alleged shooter.
“Our city will never be defined by these heinous acts,” Neppl said at a press conference at police headquarters on Tuesday. “Our city will continue to be characterized by community and justice and steadfast progress.”
A day after the shooting in question, three people were injured by gunfire after a high school football game in a parking lot on the main campus of Newburgh Free Academy. Despite local rumours, Gomérez said police do not believe the two shootings were linked, although they have not confirmed this.
Gomérez used the press conference to send a message: “If you commit an act of violence against our citizens in our city, we will follow you – even if you go to North Carolina.” We will find you – even if you hide in a closet. And we’re going to bring you back to court… We’re not going to stop until we get you. It might take a while, but we’ll get you.
