Suspect Charged with Murder in Road Rage Shooting Death of 4-Year-Old Boy in Lancaster

LANCASTER (CNS) – A 29-year-old man suspected in the alleged road-rage shooting death of a 4-year-old boy in Lancaster was charged Tuesday with murder.

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Charges Filed and Arraignment Scheduled

According to the District Attorney’s Office, Byron Burkhart was also charged with two counts of attempted murder, one count of shooting at an occupied vehicle, and five counts of possession of a firearm by a felon.

Burkhart’s arraignment is scheduled to take place on January 22 at the Antelope Valley Courthouse. He is currently held in custody with a bail set at $2 million, but prosecutors are seeking to increase it to over $5 million.

Second Suspect Released, Investigation Continues

A second suspect, 27-year-old Alexandria Gentile, who was arrested in connection with the shooting, was not charged. Gentile, identified as Burkhart’s girlfriend, was released from custody on Tuesday afternoon.

Details of the Shooting Incident

The shooting occurred around 7:30 p.m. on Friday at the intersection of Sierra Highway and East Avenue J, as reported by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

According to investigators, the incident started when a driver cut off the vehicle carrying the boy, Gor Adamyan, along with his parents. The suspect vehicle began following the family and eventually pulled alongside them, opening fire. Prosecutors stated that a total of eight shots were fired.

Tragically, the 4-year-old boy, sitting in the back seat, was struck by gunfire in the upper body. His parents rushed him to the hospital, but he was pronounced dead.

Arrest Made with Help from Vehicle Camera

The District Attorney’s Office revealed that the victims’ vehicle had a camera that captured images of the suspect vehicle’s license plate. Sheriff’s officials located the suspects’ vehicle near the crime scene and promptly arrested both the man and the woman on suspicion of murder.

Seeking Information from the Public

Authorities are urging anyone with information about the case to contact homicide detectives at 323-890-5500 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

Community Support for the Family

A GoFundMe page has been set up to support the boy’s grieving family, which has already raised over $1,600 as of Monday.

According to the page, the family was on their way to a grocery store when the tragic shooting occurred.

Local Officials Condemn the Act of Violence

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, representing the Lancaster area, expressed her condemnation of the boy’s killing.

\”This young boy’s death is shocking,\” she said in a statement on Monday. \”A family is now inexplicably left without a child that meant everything to them. Our roadways are no place for this type of random and unacceptable violence. I want the suspects apprehended for this heinous murder to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

\”I also want to thank the law enforcement professionals who acted quickly, arrested the suspects, and took them off the community’s streets. We cannot tolerate acts of violence like this one.\”

Debunking Reports on Bail Policy

Addressing rumors, the District Attorney’s Office denied reports that Burkhart had been recently released under the county’s zero-bail policy after being booked on a weapons violation.

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