A Venezuelan migrant shot two cops during a violent chase in Queens early Monday, with one of the injured officers hurriedly rushing to save his more seriously injured teammate, according to police and sources.
Officers were investigating a crime pattern involving offenders on mopeds in Elmhurst when they noticed 19-year-old Bernardo Castro Mata driving a black scooter with no plates the wrong way down a street at 1:40 a.m., according to police and law enforcement sources.
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The suspect, who entered the country illegally last year, abandoned his moped around 89th Street and 23rd Avenue and fled on foot, according to police.
The Finest pursued him and eventually caught up with him several streets away. They wrestled him to the ground, and the juvenile 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 firearm when the gun went off, injuring the officer in his bullet-proof vest on the chest, according to reports.
Mata then allegedly shot Yarusso’s companion, Christopher Abreu, 26, in the leg, prompting Abreu to return fire and strike the suspect in the right ankle, sources said.
A law enforcement source lamented, “Kids are now shooting at us.”
According to Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry, Yarusso, still reeling from his vest wound, “was more concerned about his partner” and desperately attempted to apply a tourniquet to Abreu’s leg to stop the bleeding.
According to accounts, he ended up rushing his wounded friend to Elmhurst General Hospital in their police cruiser.
The hospital has treated and discharged both cops, who are single.
Detectives found the suspect wanted in two previous violent “snatch and grab” robberies targeting women in Queens on May 21, despite his lack of criminal history in the Big Apple.
On Monday, Mata was already on the NYPD’s radar as a person of interest in the robberies, which may have been part of a series of crimes carried out by crews, including a violent gang in at least one case.
In stable condition, they transferred him to New York Presbyterian Church and scheduled him for surgery. Sources anticipated accusations of attempted murder of a police officer and illegal possession of weapons against him.
Mata unlawfully entered the United States through Eagle Pass, Texas, in July of last year, according to law enforcement officials and police.
NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban stated that he had been residing at the migrant shelter in the former Courtyard Marriott Hotel near LaGuardia Airport in Queens.
The shelter is roughly a block from the shooting location. On Monday, there were about 30 mopeds parked outside.
However, after a dispute, two migrants who live at the shelter informed The Post that Mata no longer lives there.
The New York Times reported that he fled the shelter on May 15.
The shelter is roughly a block from the shooting location. On Monday, there were about 30 mopeds parked outside.
A male migrant pulled out a gun during an argument with relatives, according to Michelle Siguencia, 31, who resides at the shelter with her family.
“A lot of people come as families, but if there are problems, they take the guys out,” she explained.
“Many people come here,” said a man who wished to remain anonymous. They messed up.
“So, that’s what puts us all in danger, since I try to avoid interacting with others.” The migrant clarified, “I understand that a small number of people engage in productive activities, while many make foolish mistakes.”
Andres Betancourt, who is from Colombia and has been staying at the shelter for six to seven months, said, “It’s very bad that other immigrants are spoiling it when there’s so much economic possibility here.
“I’ve seen some other immigrants who aren’t staying in this shelter come here and cause trouble.”But this refuge has been really safe.”
Two City Council members informed The Post that they intend to file a bill this week removing the Big Apple’s migrant-friendly “Sanctuary City” regulations, which were passed by then-Mayor Bill de Blasio almost a decade ago.
The contentious laws limit local law enforcement’s ability to work with the feds on immigration issues, including prohibiting authorities like the NYPD from cooperating with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents unless the cases involve suspected terrorists or serious public safety risks.
After receiving treatment at Elmhurst, Caban reported that the two officers injured on Monday were in “good spirits”.
On Monday morning, a guard of honor and a thunderous wave of applause greeted the cops upon their release from the hospital.
“This could have gone a very different way,” the police commissioner stated during an early morning press conference.
Mayor Eric Adams complimented the two cops, pointing to a gunshot hole in one of their jackets.
“Because of this vest, a young police officer is going home,” Hizzoner stated.
“It was an unnecessary act of violence,” he said as he addressed the issue.
Our police responded with discipline, attention, and professionalism. Today, we praise God.
The public safety unit of the 115th Precinct housed both officers. Abreu has been with the NYPD for five years, and his partner joined two and a half years ago.
When the cops were shot, they were wearing the unit’s normal modified uniform of tan slacks and blue tops, as well as name tags and shields.
A male neighbor of Abreu’s complained to The Post about the suspect’s illegal admission into the United States and the perks that migrants obtain in New York City.
“We didn’t give them enough.” He has to rob women riding scooters?! “Living rent-free and then shooting at our cops when they try to stop him?!” the man shouted.
The PBA president, Hendry, vehemently questioned, “Why did this individual run?” Why did he ride that scooter?
“Why did he take off?” Why didn’t he stop for the cops? Why did he have a firearm? Why didn’t he hesitate to shoot New York City police officers? Hendry informed reporters.
“We’ve been in courtrooms all over the city, demanding change, packing those courtrooms, demanding change in the criminal justice system.”
