Tyquan Lassiter is escorted from District Judge James Haggerty’s courtroom after being arraigned on an open count of criminal homicide Thursday.
Ed Lewis | Times Leader
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Tyquan Lassiter was jailed without bail following his arraignment by District Judge James Haggerty in Kingston on an open count of criminal homicide.
Ed Lewis | Times Leader
KINGSTON — Kingston police say they have video footage of Tyquan Lassiter fatally shooting a Wilkes-Barre man outside a tavern when the victim attempted to back out of a parking spot.
Lassiter, 26, of Hackensack, N.J., was loitering in the parking lot of Leonardo’s Club on Main Street with Jakir Bacote, 22, of Wilkes-Barre, and a third man when Peter McCoy, 38, was backing out on Sept. 10, according to court records.
McCoy asked Lassiter and Bacote to move when police allege Lassiter and Bacote brandished handguns and each fired a round into the ground, court records say.
After McCoy got back into his vehicle, Lassiter walked around and allegedly fired several shots striking McCoy in the head.
Lassiter was captured by the U.S. Marshals Service, Kingston police and Luzerne County detectives in Hackensack on Sept. 23 on a sealed arrest warrant charging him with an open count of criminal homicide and illegal possession of a firearm. He waived extradition and was returned Thursday when he was arraigned by District Judge James J. Haggerty in Kingston.
Lassiter was jailed at the county correctional facility without bail.
“Na, I don’t play with guns; It’s all in the Lord’s hands now,” Lassiter said as he was taken to jail.
Assistant District Attorney Drew McLaughlin said during Lassiter’s arraignment a co-defendant, which he did not name, may be charged Friday or early next week.
The unsealed criminal complaint filed by Kingston police Det. Stephen Gibson and county Det. Charles Casey on Sept. 16 alleges McCoy, Bacote and a third man went to Leonardo’s Club but did not enter when the tavern demanded a $10 entry fee.
Lassiter and his friends remained int he parking lot and were approached by a woman who exited the tavern asking them to buy her drinks. As the woman was asking for drinks to be bought for her, McCoy and his friend were backing out of a parking spot.
McCoy stopped his Honda Civic, got out and asked Lassiter and Bacote to move, court records say.
Lassiter and Bacote argued with McCoy and brandished handguns firing a round into the dirt. McCoy got back into his vehicle as Lassiter walked around the vehicle and fired additional rounds striking McCoy int he head, according to court records.
Police allege the recovered six shell casings from the parking lot.
Several days after the shooting, police in court records say Lassiter called two people threatening to kill them if they were “snitching.”