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Francisco Ortiz is charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and other gun offenses. He is accused of shooting 11-month-old Yazeem Jenkins, who was riding in a car with his father and three others. Police say the intended target was someone inside that car.
Yazeem was critically injured after being shot four times — in the back of the head, the chest, and twice in the backside — while in the back seat of his stepmother's car.
Authorities say they’ve also connected Ortiz to the killing of 2-year-old Nikolette Rivera, who was shot in her home the day after Yazeem was wounded. Police believe Ortiz supplied the AK-47 to two men, which was used in her death.
Six bullets were fired into the Kensington house on Oct. 20, injuring Nikolette’s mother, who was holding the girl, and another man.
The two suspects, Freddie Perez and Tayvon Thomas, have since been charged in connection to Nikolette’s murder, but investigators are contiuning to look at other connections, sources say.
Police believe the house was targeted in connection to the child’s father, who was not home at the time, over a drug dispute.
Ortiz has prior gun convictions, as well as a separate open gun case, but he was out on bail — which was reduced from $100,000 to $50,000 — until he was arrested in the courtroom, days after the shooting of 11-month-old Yazeem.
Ortiz now remains behind bars. His preliminary hearing is set for next week.
Prosecutors are continuing to investigate the case.