Bernardo Raul Castro Mata, a migrant who shot two New York Police Department (NYPD) officers in early June, has been arraigned in Queens County Criminal Court on charges of attempted first-degree murder.
Castro Mata, who appeared in court with his right hand cuffed to a wheelchair, opened fire when two officers attempted to pull him over for riding a scooter against traffic on a one-way street.
He was indicted for shooting Officer Richard Yarusso and Officer Christopher Abreu in East Elmhurst. Despite being shot, both officers continued to make the arrest.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz reported that the scooter was unregistered and that Castro Mata was not wearing a helmet then.
Detectives revealed that the 19-year-old suspect had previous run-ins with the law, including arrests for possession of stolen credit cards linked to other crimes.
Castro Mata pleaded not guilty, claiming the gun accidentally discharged and that he fled because he was scared when the officers stopped him. He admitted to knowing about the gun in his bag but insisted he did not intentionally fire it.
As a Venezuelan native who crossed the border without documentation, Castro Mata described how shootings between police and gang members are common in his country, where gang members often fire at officers to escape.
He disclosed his recruitment into Tren de Aragua, Venezuela’s largest criminal organization, and detailed their gun smuggling methods. According to Castro Mata, the gang smuggled firearms into city shelters using food delivery packages, which bypassed metal detectors.
Judge Kenneth Holder ordered Castro Mata to be held without bail, with his next hearing set for September 16. If convicted, he faces up to 80 years in prison.
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