Venezuelan migrant charged with attempted murder for shooting two NYPD officers in East Elmhurst: DA – QNS

The Venezuelan migrant, already wanted for stealing from women in May, was charged with two counts of attempted murder for shooting two NYPD officers in East Elmhurst early Monday morning. Photo courtesy of the NYPD Sign up for our QNS email newsletter to receive local news, updates and information straight to your inbox! The homeless Venezuelan migrant who allegedly shot and injured two NYPD officers in East Elmhurst Monday morning has been criminally charged with two counts of attempted first- and second-degree murder and other crimes, according to the Queens District Attorney , Melinda Katz. Bernardo Raul Castro Mata, 19, was arraigned Wednesday morning on a 17-count complaint via video from his hospital bed at New York-Presbyterian Hospital Queens, where he is recovering from surgery after receiving shot in the foot during his encounter with police officers. from the 115th Precinct in Jackson Heights. If convicted of the highest charge, Mata faces a maximum sentence of up to 40 years to life in prison for each charge of attempted first-degree murder. According to the charges, at approximately 1:40 a.m. on Monday, June 3, NYPD Police Officers Christopher Abreu, Richard Yarusso, and NYPD Sergeant Nicholas Condos were patrolling in an unmarked police vehicle while wearing NYPD uniforms when they saw Mata driving an unregistered motorcycle. and driving the wrong way on Ditmars Boulevard near 90th Street. Mata was not wearing a helmet while riding the motorcycle. Mata was also observed riding the motorcycle on the sidewalk in the presence of pedestrians. Yarusso and his sergeant got out of the unmarked police vehicle and attempted to approach Mata. The accused then abandoned the motorcycle and fled the scene on foot. Yarusso began a foot pursuit while Officer Abreu followed the defendant in the unmarked vehicle. Sergeant Condos pursued the defendant using the motorcycle that the defendant was riding. After catching up with Mata near 23rd Avenue and 89th Street, Abreu attempted to place Mata under arrest, but he began to resist arrest by twisting his body, waving his arms and searching in a bag he carried on his chest. Yarusso tried to help Abreu handcuff Mata as he struggled on the ground. During the struggle, Mata pulled a handgun from his crossbody bag, pressed the muzzle of the firearm to Yarusso's chest and fired one shot into his chest at point-blank range. His bulletproof vest stopped the bullet but he was scratched. Mata also shot Abreu, hitting him in the upper right thigh. Abreu returned fire, shooting Mata in the foot and ankle, at which point he dropped his firearm and was handcuffed. Emergency Medical Services transported both officers to Elmhurst Hospital, where they were treated for their injuries and released approximately six hours later. Mata remains hospitalized. Investigators recovered a loaded .380 caliber Hi-Point pistol at the crime scene along with two deformed fired bullets, nine bullet fragments, three .380 caliber discharged casings and four 9mm discharged casings. NYPD officers Christopher Abreu and Richard Yarusso were released from Elmhurst Hospital hours after they were shot by Mata, who was taken into custody from his hospital bed Wednesday morning. Photo courtesy of the NYPD “According to the criminal complaint, this defendant fired his weapon at point-blank range into the chest of a New York City police officer, and seconds later shot another officer in the leg,” Katz said . “NYPD officers put their lives on the line every day to protect New Yorkers and keep our communities safe. » Mata, who entered the United States illegally last July by crossing the Rio Grande to Eagle Pass, Texas, according to New York police, then went to Queens, where he lived at the Landing Family Shelter before being evicted in mid-May. Mata was also charged with several counts of weapons possession, two counts of assault, obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest, as well as three violations of the traffic and code of the road regarding one-way roads, the absence of motorcycle helmets and the absence of license plates. “Among other charges, including criminal possession of the weapon and assault, we accuse the defendant of attempted murder of the two officers,” Katz said. Mata told detectives he had come to New York within the last two or three months and was working as a DoorDash delivery driver using his motorcycle. He also told detectives he was in a car with a friend on Sunday when the friend gave him the shoulder bag and knew it contained the loaded firearm. Mata also claimed that he took out the gun “to show it to the police,” and that’s when the gun “went off.” Mata told detectives that a friend had given him a bag containing the gun he used to shoot the two 26-year-old police officers and that he was only trying to show them when the shots rang out. been fired, according to the criminal complaint. Photo courtesy of the NYPD Judge Jeffrey Gershuny remanded Mata without bail and set his next court date for June 7.