A teenager was busted for allegedly carrying-out a triple shooting that left a 19-year-old college basketball player dead outside of a house party on Long Island, Nassau County police said Wednesday.
Jacob McMillan, 18, allegedly opened fire outside the bash in Hempstead on Nov. 22 just before 11 p.m., senselessly killing Monroe University hoopster Amira McCleod and shooting two 20-year-old Nassau Community College students, according to cops.
Police were still investigating whether any of the victims were specifically targeted, or if they were tragically hit by stray bullets.
Jacob McMillan, 18, pled not guilty to murder on Wednesday NewsdayThe two students who survived their gunshots have since been discharged from the hospital, officials confirmed. Their names were not publicly released.
McMillian, from Baldwin, was charged with murder, attempted murder, weapons possession and burglary.
He pleaded not guilty and was held without bail at his arraignment Wednesday morning, according to the Nassau District Attorney’s Office.
University officials described McCleod as “a cherished member” of the women’s basketball team, The Express, in a previous statement to The Post, adding that the school “community was devastated by the tragic loss.
Amira McCleod was playing for the women’s basketball team at Monroe University’s Bronx campus. Instagram/@a__stackz
McCleod, known for her defense, was only nine games into her sophomore season at Monroe when she was killed. Courtesy of Monroe UniversityThe basketball star, a Queens native playing at the school’s Bronx campus, was only nine games into her sophomore season when she was killed.
“We are in close contact with Amira’s family, teammates, and roommates, offering our full support as they navigate this unimaginable loss,” the statement read.
The 5-foot-3 guard was known for her defensive prowess, averaging nearly two steals a game and played a season high 30 minutes in the team’s afternoon 67-44 win over Dutchess Community College just hours before her death.
The promising athlete, who was working toward a degree in business administration, said she wanted to continue her education at “a four-year school” after leaving Monroe, according to her bio on the team’s website.
Her dream eventually was to open a clothing and sneaker store.
McCleod was pronounced dead on the scene, while the two young men were hospitalized in stable condition, according to Nassau Police. Instagram/@a__stackzMcCleod’s team was off to an 8-1 start — now 10-1 since her passing — mustering up the willpower and strength to blow-out Suffolk County Community College by 21 points just three days after her murder shocked the locker room.
Head coach Damel Ling said the big win was in honor of McCleod, and detailed that it was the team’s decision to still play, according to Newsday.
