Police have arrested a 20-year-old man in connection with the Aug. 15 murder of 18-year-old Devante Jackson in New Haven.
Lawrence “L.J.” Easterling was arrested Tuesday at his home at 294 Eastern Street, police said. Easterling was charged with murder.
According to police, Jackson was killed in a drive-by shooting just after 8 p.m. Aug. 15 at the corner Rosette and Hurlburt streets.
He was rushed to Yale-New Haven Hospital, where he died of his injuries, police said.
"Although the arrested of Devante's killer brings some closure to family and friends, in all actuality there's never any real closure when someone that you love is taken away so tragically," said the victim's mother, Alicia Jackson. "My son did not deserve to lose his life in a manner such as this."
Jackson's friend said he lived in West Haven and was a student at Wilbur Cross High School. They said after the murder that Jackson was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
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Police said they expect to make additional arrests.
Jackson's death marked the 12th homicide of the year in New Haven.
Easterling is being held on a $2 million bond.
