An unlawful Venezuelan migrant charged with taking pictures two New York City Police Department officers in Queens this month was indicted by a grand jury on Wednesday.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz introduced that 19-year-old Bernardo Raul Castro Mata was arraigned on 20 charges, together with two counts of first- and second-degree attempted murder; two counts of first-degree tried assault; two counts of tried aggravated assault on a police officer; two counts of second-degree felony possession of a weapon; 4 counts of second-degree assault; resisting arrest; second diploma obstruction of governmental administration; reckless driving; driving a car the unsuitable means on a one-way highway; working a motorbike and not using a helmet; and working a motorbike with out license plates.
The charges stem from a June 3 incident by which NYPD officers tried to drag Mata over for driving the unsuitable means on a one-way road when he allegedly shot two officers – one point-blank within the chest and the opposite within the thigh.
“An attempt on the lives of two police officers simply making a traffic stop should offend every New Yorker. The grand jury returned serious charges against the defendant, including two counts of attempted murder in the first degree,” Katz stated. “The defendant is accused of shooting two New York City police officers at point-blank range after they attempted to stop him from driving the wrong way down a one-way street in East Elmhurst.”
Bernardo Castro Mata, 19, appeared in Queens Criminal Court on June 5, 2024, to face multiple charges, including attempted murder, for allegedly shooting New York Police Department officers Christopher Abreu and Richard Yarusso. (Barry Williams/New York Daily News/Pool/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Katz’s workplace supplied new particulars concerning the incident in a press launch on Wednesday.
At about 1:40 a.m. on June 3, NYPD officers Christopher Abreu and Richard Yarusso, together with NYPD Sgt. Nicholas Condos have been on patrol after they noticed Mata, who was not carrying a helmet, driving an unregistered bike the unsuitable means down Ditmars Boulevard close to ninetieth Street in East Elmhurst.
Mata was additionally allegedly weaving the bike onto the sidewalk within the presence of pedestrians.
Yarusso and Condos tried to strategy Mata, who ditched the bike and ran away, based on authorities.
New York City Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry addresses the media exterior the Queens courthouse after Castro Mata’s arraignment. (NYC PBAÂ )
Yarusso reportedly ran after Mata whereas Abreu adopted in an unmarked car. Condos additionally adopted, although on the bike Mata reportedly ditched.
Abreu caught as much as Mata and tried to arrest him, however Mata resisted and started flailing his arms and physique whereas reaching inside a bag he wore throughout his chest. Katz’s workplace additionally stated that Yarusso tried to assist arrest Mata, however Mata continued to withstand.
During the wrestle, the prosecutor stated, Mata reportedly pulled a gun out of his cross-body bag and shot Yarusso within the decrease chest at point-blank vary, however the officer’s bullet-resistant vest stopped the bullet.
NYPD a hundred and fifteenth Precinct Officer Richard Yarusso, who was shot within the chest and saved by his bulletproof vest, wheels his accomplice, Officer Christopher Abreu, who was shot within the leg, out of the Elmhurst Hospital ER to the applause of NYPD brass and fellow officers on June 3, 2024. (Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Daily News/Tribune News Service through Getty Images)
Mata additionally allegedly shot Abreu within the higher proper thigh, at which level the regulation enforcement officer fired again, hanging Mata within the foot and ankle space.
After being shot, Mata dropped the gun and was positioned in handcuffs.
Both officers have been taken to a close-by hospital the place they have been handled for his or her accidents and launched.
Investigators at the scene recovered a loaded Hi-Point .380-caliber pistol in addition to two deformed fired bullets, 9 bullet fragments, three discharged .380-caliber shell casings and 4 9 mm discharged shell casings.
If Mata is convicted on the highest cost of first-degree tried homicide, he might withstand 40 years behind bars.
Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder ordered Mata to return to court docket on Sept. 18.
Police stated Mata entered the country illegally final July close to El Paso, Texas, and was staying at a former airport hotel-turned-migrant shelter within the Elmhurst part of Queens.
Citing sources, the New York Post reported that Mata has a tattoo that alerts to investigators he could possibly be a member of Venezuela’s “bloodthirsty” Tren de Aragua gang.
Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.