On a spring Saturday evening on May 14, 2022 at 6:50pm, shots rang out from the parking lot at Forrestal Heights, next to the Beacon Recreation Center on West Center Street. Lionell Pittman age 32, who reportedly had a brother who lived at Forrestal Heights, was outside and was fatally shot, as reported by ALBB at the time.

Lionell’s murder was one of at least 3 in Beacon that have remained unsolved: Rene “Scout” Vivo, who was stabbed while walking down Main Street to get to his home at Forrestal Heights on Christmas Day in 2021, and a murder at South Davies Terrace apartment complex, where a 25 year old man was visiting from New York and was shot and killed.

According to a press release from the police, a suspect named Naije Perrette, 24, of Beacon was arrested at a traffic stop on Fishkill Avenue. He was charged with second-degree murder, arraigned in City Court and taken to the Dutchess County Jail.

The police credited the Dutchess County Drug Task Force with assistance on the arrest, and for the investigation conducted by Dutchess County District Attorney’s office. Because of the ongoing investigation, police said they would not release further information.

A Google search shows that a person named Naije Perrette of the same age has been arrested other times in Beacon:

“Beacon teen charged for allegedly fleeing police in stolen vehicle” In 2015, this Naije was allegedly “driving erratically at high speeds with headlights off on Matteawan Road in Beacon. As the Beacon police officer initiated the traffic stop, the vehicle sped up and attempted to flee toward Matteawan Road and Prospect Street. The vehicle crashed about a half-mile from where it was originally spotted, and the driver fled towards the woods behind the Fishkill Correctional Facility, police said. Police apprehended Perrette later at Red Schoolhouse Road in Fishkill.” Reportedly the vehicle had been stolen from a Beacon address days before the incident.
“Three men accused of robbing, pushing woman out moving vehicle: police” In 2019, this Naije and Julian Rivera were arrested after a reported robbery in the area of Liberty Street and Bridge Street. Police said they canvased the area after “three men robbed and pushed a woman out a moving vehicle on Friday morning around 4:45 a.m.,” according to the City of Beacon Police Department. Police say officers responded to the area of Liberty Street and Bridge Street for a reported robbery. After canvassing the area, police brought Naije Perette and Julian Rivera into custody.
“Beacon residents arrested in Putnam County after violent domestic dispute.” In 2023, Naije Perette was arrested after his girlfriend Jaznia McCrae followed him after she learned that he took his new girlfriend to a Nets game, as reported by MidHudsonNews. The two got into a fight, damaged each others cars, and were both arrested.

The parking lot off West Center Street in the Beacon Housing Authority’s Forrestal Heights apartment complex. This is the second parking lot, around the bend from the first, where people familiar with the shooting say it happened.

The first parking lot off West Center Street in the Beacon Housing Authority’s Forrestal Heights apartment complex.

According to neighbors and the Beacon Police, a man named Lionell Pittman, age 32, was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Forrestal Heights affordable housing apartment community on West Center Street, which is managed by Beacon Housing Authority, on early Saturday evening while people were coming home from busy Saturday days of kids sports, shopping, day tripping, and returning from work.

According to their press release from Detective Jason Johnson, the Beacon Police got a call for shots fired at 6:50pm. The Beacon Detective Division is asking anyone with information to contact the City of Beacon Police Department at 845-831-4111 with any tips.

According to people who heard the shots, commotion could be heard from the second parking lot around the bend from the first parking lot on West Center Street. The parking lot and the apartment units are located next door to the Beacon Recreation Center and across the street and next door to houses owned by homeowners.

According to those who heard the shots, there was a motorcycle driving around which popped off its exhaust, and sounded like gunshots, which apparently is a common sound in that neighborhood, and is definitely a common sound on Main Street and other side streets around Beacon.

Moments or seconds later, a second series of shots were heard that occurred in a period of one or two seconds. These were the gunshots that killed Lionell. According to one person, 18 shots were released in 1 or 2 seconds. Three of these shots allegedly landed in Lionell, one allegedly to his head and two in his chest. Another person reported hearing 7 shots in 1 second.

According to reporting by Bill Beale for K104.7 and Midhudson News, Lionell received CPR in the ambulance while being taken to the hospital but did not survive the gunshot wounds.

According to someone who spoke to a resident, Lionell was a brother of someone who lives in the apartment units. They felt like the shooting was a targeted event. A Little Beacon Blog is seeking confirmation on if Lionell lived there, and if a funeral will be announced for him.

At that time of the shooting, the sun was still shining and residents were pulling in and out of the parking lot. After the shots, residents apparently came out of their apartments, visibly distraught. At a later time, Beacon’s Mayor Lee Kyriacou was seen by some to be walking to houses located on the opposite side of the street to reassure homeowners that everything was safe, and that Beacon Police were investigating the crime. The suspect remains at large.

It is not known if Mayor Kyriacou went into the Forrestal Heights community where the murder occurred to visit with residents in apartments to relay the same message. A Little Beacon Blog reached out to Mayor Kyriacou and City Administrator Chris White for comment, but has not received a reply by the time of this publishing. Administrator Chris insists that all inquiries from A Little Beacon Blog for all department heads and staff go through him. Should a response come, this article will be updated.

A Little Beacon Blog has reached out to the Beacon Housing Authority’s ross coordinator, Noah Hargett, to confirm the location of the parking lot, the residential status of Lionell, and how is family is coping. Should we get a response, this article will be updated. ALBB has also reached out to the Beacon Police to confirm the parking lot location, and will update here should a response come in.

According to people familiar with the area, no news reporters have visited the scene to learn more information, which surprised them. This report showing a picture of a different parking lot is totally incorrect. Different affordable housing apartment complex.

The Christmas Day murder of Rene “Scout” Vivo, who also lived in the Forrestal Heights apartment units, remains unsolved. Rene was stabbed on Main Street, and died while walking in the direction of his home at Forrestal Heights.