Arrest Made In Connection With LI Man's Slaying

NORTH AMITYVILLE, NY — An arrest has been made in connection with the slaying of a beloved aspiring football player from Long Island who was shot outside his home Monday, police said.

Suffolk police arrested Everette Aitcheson, 22, on Wednesday in Wyandanch on Monday, according to a statement from its press office late Thursday. Homicide Squad detectives charged Aitcheson with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

Alonte Shipp, 20, was shot "during an altercation with another person while standing in front" of his Lake Drive home at about 4:38 a.m., police said. He was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip, where he was pronounced dead, according to police.

News of Shipp's death left many in the Wyandanch community in shock.

Wyandanch High School Principal Paul Sibblies described himself as feeling numb after hearing of his death, according to a post on Facebook.

"Here is a young man that has been through so much but overcame it all to attend college. His desire was to prove people wrong about his character. Alonte Shipp will forever mean something to me," he wrote, adding, "He was respectful, talented, and loving to his family. My heart hurts to know someone cut his life short for senseless reasons."

Lakeicha Sexton, Shipp's mother, told Newsday the family wants justice for those who took her son's life. He was sitting in a car with a female friend when he was shot, according to reports.

Police have not released any further details about Shipp's shooting.

Detectives are asking anyone with information about the shooting to call the Homicide Squad at 631-852-6392 or Crime Stoppers, a confidential police hotline, at 1-800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential, police said.

Patch editor Jacqueline Sweet contributed reporting to this story.