Dramatic details of NYPD shootout reveals migrant gunman who shot 2 cops recently crossed into US: sources
Two cops were shot by a Venezuelan migrant in a wild chase in Queens early Monday — with one of the injured officers frantically rushing to render aid to his more badly hurt partner, police and sources said.
The officers were working on a robbery pattern involving criminals on mopeds in Elmhurst when they spotted 19-year-old Bernardo Castro Mata driving a black scooter with no plates the wrong way down a street about 1:40 a.m., police and law-enforcement sources said.
The suspect — who entered the country illegally last year — ditched his moped around 89th Street and 23rd Avenue and fled on foot, according to cops.
The Finest ran after him and finally caught up with him several blocks away and tackled him to the ground — and the teen then whipped out an illegal Hi-Point .380 pistol from a fanny pack, police and sources said.
One of the cops, Richard Yarusso, 26, was wrestling the suspect for the weapon when the gun discharged, striking the officer in his bullet-proof vest on his chest, sources said.
Mata then allegedly shot Yarusso’s partner, Christopher Abreu, 26, in the leg as Abreu returned fire and hit the suspect in the right ankle, sources said.
“We’re getting shot at by kids now,’’ a law-enforcement source griped.
Yarusso, still reeling from being shot in his vest, “was more concerned about his partner” and desperately worked to apply a tourniquet to Abreu’s leg to stem the bleeding, said Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry.
He ended up putting his wounded comrade in their police car and rushed him to Elmhurst General Hospital, sources said.
Both officers, who are single, have since been treated and released from the hospital.
The suspect has no criminal history in the Big Apple but was being eyed in two previous violent “snatch and grab” robberies targeting women in Queens on May 21, cops said.
Mata was already on the NYPD’s radar Monday as a person of interest for the robberies — which may be part of a slew of crimes run by crews, including a violent gang in at least one case.
He was taken to NewYork-Presbyterian Queens in stable condition and set to undergo surgery. Sources said he was expected to face charges including attempted murder of a police officer and illegal weapons possession.
Mata illegally entered the US through Eagle Pass, Texas, in July of last year, law-enforcement sources and police said.
NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban said he had been living at the migrant shelter in the former Courtyard Marriott Hotel near LaGuardia Airport in Queens.
The shelter is about a block from the shooting scene. About 30 mopeds were parked outside it Monday.
But two migrants living at the shelter told The Post that while Mata used to live there, he didn’t anymore after getting into a fight.
He left the shelter May 15, the New York Times reported.
The shelter is about a block from the shooting scene. About 30 mopeds were parked outside it Monday.
Michelle Siguencia, a 31-year-old who lives at the shelter with her family, told The Post that metal detectors were installed there after a male migrant took out a gun during a fight with relatives.
“A lot of people come as families but sometimes when there are issues, they take the guys out,’’ she said.
A man who didn’t want to give his name added, “A lot of people come here. … And what they do is f–k s–t up.
“So that’s what puts us all in danger, because I try here to not interact with people. Because I know that few people work, but a lot do stupid things,” the migrant said.
Andres Betancourt, who is from Colombia and has lived at the shelter for the past six to seven months, said, “It’s very unfortunate that other immigrants are ruining it when there’s so much economical opportunity here.
“I’ve seen some other immigrants who are not living in this shelter come here and make trouble. But this shelter has been very safe.”
Two City Council members have told The Post that they plan to introduce a bill this week repealing the Big Apple’s migrant-friendly “Sanctuary City’’ laws approved under then-Mayor Bill de Blasio around a decade ago.
The controversial laws limit local law enforcement’s ability to cooperate with the feds on immigration matters, including by prohibiting authorities such as the NYPD from cooperating with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents unless the cases involve suspected terrorists or serious public safety risks.
Monday’s two injured cops were in “good spirits” after being treated at Elmhurst, Caban said.
The cops were given a guard of honor and greeted by a huge round of applause as they were released from the hospital Monday morning.
“This could have gone a very different way,” the police commish said at an early morning press conference.
Showing off the bullet hole in one of the officer’s vests, Mayor Eric Adams praised the two cops.
“Because of this vest, a young police officer is going home,” Hizzoner said.
“A senseless act of violence. Total disregard for life,” he added as he addressed the incident.
“Our officers responded with a level of discipline, a level of focus, a level of professionalism. Today we thank God.”
This is the gun that was used by the suspect in the shooting in Queens early Monday.
The officers were both assigned to 115th Precinct’s public safety unit. Abreu has been on the job for five years, while his partner joined the NYPD ranks two and a half years ago.
The cops were wearing the unit’s typical modified uniform of tan pants and blue tops, along with their name tags and shields, when shot.
A male neighbor of Abreu’s railed to The Post over the suspect’s illegal entry into the US and the benefits that migrants receive when they come to New York City.
“We didn’t give them enough?! He’s got to rob women on scooters?! Living rent free and then shoot at our cops when they dare to try to stop him?!’’ the man raged.
“This is insane!”
Hendry, the PBA president, railed: “The question has to be asked, why did this individual run? Why did he go on that scooter?
“Why did he take off? Why didn’t he stop for the police? Why was he carrying a firearm? Why wasn’t he afraid to shoot New York City police officers?” Hendry told reporters.
“We’ve been in courtrooms across this city, demanding change, packing those courtrooms, demanding change to the criminal justice system.’’
1 comment:
Sanctuary City Problems. I feel sorry for the cops. (USA)
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