Nineteen-year-old Joshua Bell has been charged with murder, robbery, burglary, and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the tragic death of Ying Zhu Lu on September 9. Lu was shot in the face in the hallway of her family’s condo building at 44 Market Street in Two Bridges. Another teenager was also arrested on Friday for his involvement in the violent incident.
The harrowing event occurred around 11 p.m. when two masked individuals followed Lu’s husband, Shen Yan, into the building’s elevator, threatening him with a handgun. They stole his phone and cash before arriving on the 8th floor, where Yan’s son was waiting. The father warned his son of the armed intruders, but when the son attempted to intervene, he was violently attacked.
Lu, who bravely came out of the apartment to aid her family, was tragically shot at close range by one of the muggers. She succumbed to her injuries at the scene. Bell was apprehended and taken into custody, remaining silent as he was led out of the precinct.
Bell, previously arrested for robbery in 2023, awaited arraignment on Friday evening. Sixteen-year-old Dante Schaller, also facing the same charges, will be prosecuted as an adult due to his violent criminal history.
