Teens Indicted For Christmas Day Shooting Of Nassau Father

Two Hempstead teens were indicted on Monday for the fatal Christmas Day shooting death of a Valley Stream man who was walking to pick up his daughter at the train station.

Shameq Sullins and Antoine Foster, both 17, and both of Hempstead, were charged with two counts of second-degree murder. Foster was allso charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. They are both due back in court on Aug. 29. If convicted of the murder charge, they each face 25 years to life in prison.

“Rafael Cepeda was heading to pick up his daughter on Christmas Day when a bullet allegedly fired by one of these defendants took his life,” Singas said. “Mr. Cepeda was an innocent victim killed by senseless gang violence in Hempstead and my office will vigorously prosecute this case. I thank the Nassau County Police Department, the U.S. Marshals and the authorities in Virginia for helping arrest these defendants.”

According to Singas, on Dec. 25, 2017, around 6:20 p.m., Sullins and Foster were standing in front of 100 Terrace Ave. in Hempstead when Foster, with Sullins acting as his lookout, fired several shots at a car. Rafael Cepeda, 36, was fatally hit in the chest by one of the shots. Cepeda was not the target, and was walking to pick up his daughter at the nearby train station to celebrate Christmas with her. Singas said that both Sullins and Foster were associated with the Bloods street gang.

Sullins was arrested on Jan. 2 by the Nassau County Police Department. Foster fled the state and was arrested by Nassau County homicide detectives, with the assistance of local police and the U.S. Marshals, on June 20 in Alexandria, Virginia, where Singas said he was staying with a family friend. The gun used in the shooting was never found.

Photos: Shameq Sullins, left, and Antoine Foster. Courtesy Nassau County District Attorney's Office.