Illegal Venezuelan Migrant Indicted for Shooting NYPD Officers in Queens

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Wednesday that 19-year-old Bernardo Raul Castro Mata, an illegal Venezuelan migrant, was indicted by a grand jury on 20 charges, including two counts of first- and second-degree attempted murder, first-degree attempted assault, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and more. This comes after an incident on June 3, where Mata allegedly shot two New York City Police Department officers in Queens.

Details of the Incident

The incident occurred at about 1:40 a.m. on June 3, when NYPD officers Christopher Abreu and Richard Yarusso, along with NYPD Sgt. Nicholas Condos, attempted to pull Mata over for driving the wrong way on a one-way street. Upon being approached by the officers, Mata ditched his motorcycle and attempted to flee. A struggle ensued, during which Mata allegedly shot Yarusso in the lower chest at point-blank range, but the officer’s bullet-resistant vest stopped the bullet. Mata also allegedly shot Abreu in the upper right thigh, before being shot back by the law enforcement officer.

Legal Proceedings and Potential Sentence

If Mata is convicted on the top charge of first-degree attempted murder, he could face up to 40 years behind bars. Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder ordered Mata to return to court on September 18. It was revealed that Mata entered the country illegally last July near El Paso, Texas, and was staying at a former airport hotel-turned-migrant shelter in the Elmhurst section of Queens. Furthermore, sources indicated that Mata may be associated with Venezuela's "bloodthirsty" Tren de Aragua gang, based on a tattoo found on him.