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Teen Arraigned In Shooting Death Of Iona College Student

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. -- A 19-year-old New Rochelle man was arraigned Tuesday on an indictment charging him in the fatal shooting of an Iona College student on April 3.

Stivenson Desir

Stivenson Desir

Photo Credit: Westchester County District Attorney's Office
Brendon Lawrence, 18, of Yonkers

Brendon Lawrence, 18, of Yonkers

Photo Credit: Facebook

Stivenson Desir was charged with one count of murder in the second degree, a Class A felony, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, Class C felonies, in the death of 18-year-old Brandon Lawrence of Yonkers, Acting Westchester County District Attorney James A. McCarty announced.

Lawrence, who was studying communications at Iona with hopes of becoming a reporter, was a member of the basketball team at Lincoln High School.

At approximately 3:23 a.m. on April 3, the New Rochelle Police Department received several 911 calls reporting that shots had been fired in Lincoln Park. 

When they arrived on the scene, they found the victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene, lying face down in the center field area of the ball field. 

Both the victim and the defendant had attended a party hours earlier at an apartment described as off-campus housing used by Iona College, an investigation by the New Rochelle Police Department and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office revealed.

Following the party, a group of five male attendees including Desir and Lawrence went to Lincoln Park, according to McCarty.

While at the park, two of the men engaged in a pre-arranged fist fight, McCarty said. 

As they were watching, Desir pulled a handgun and fired at Lawrence, hitting him once in the torso resulting in his death, McCarty said. 

Later that day, the defendant was located at his apartment by New Rochelle Police and placed under arrest. 

Stivenson pleaded not guilty to the charges. He has been remanded and his next court date is July 26.

Stivenson faces an indeterminate sentence of 15 years to life imprisonment, the maximum term being life, and the minimum term not less than 15 years nor more than 25 years.

Assistant District Attorney Christine O’Connor, Bureau Chief of the Narcotics and Firearms Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Shameika Mathurin of the Homicide Bureau are prosecuting the case.

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