Migrant accused of shooting two NYPD officers arraigned at hospital as authorities offer new details of the incident
NEW YORK - The man charged with shooting two NYPD officers earlier this week in Queens was arraigned from his hospital bed Wednesday.
Bernardo Raul Castro Mata, 19, a Venezuelan migrant, was arraigned on a long list of charges, including two counts of attempted murder. He was arraigned via video conference, with the help of a translator.
Mata remains hospitalized following surgery on his ankle, where he was shot by police.
The judge said Mata is considered a flight risk, and he was remanded without bail. He faces a maximum sentence of 80 years to life behind bars. His next court appearance is June 7.
His attorney didn't speak to the press after the court proceedings.
Queens officers shot investigating scooter crimes
NYPD Officers Richard Yarusso and Christopher Abreu, both 26, were shot overnight Sunday into Monday in East Elmhurst, Queens.
Police said they were investigating a robbery pattern involving suspects riding scooters and mopeds.
According to police, they spotted Mata riding a scooter the wrong way on 23rd Avenue near 82nd Street and tried to stop him. That's when police say Mata ran off. According to court documents, there was a struggle, and Mata pulled out a gun, firing at close range. Police returned fire, hitting Mata in the ankle.
Yarusso was shot in his bullet resistant vest, and Abreu was shot in the leg. They were treated at the hospital and released Monday.
NYPD officials said Mata is a Venezuelan migrant who entered the U.S. illegally through Texas last year. The NYPD said he's had previous encounters with police and is a suspect in several other crimes, though he hasn't been charged in those cases yet. Police said when Mata was arrested, he had two stolen credit cards on him, which linked him to two other gunpoint robberies.
Show of support for wounded officers
There were dozens of officers inside and outside the courtroom Wednesday in a show of solidarity for the two officers that were shot.
"This is about three police officers who put their life in jeopardy to simply make a traffic stop. Two of them ended up being shot at point blank range," Queens DA Melinda Katz said. "They risk a lot when they walk out of the house every single day, and their families don't know if they're coming back."
"They both confronted a brazen violent individual who wasn't afraid to carry a gun and shoot to New York City police officers at point blank range," PBA President Patrick Hendry said. "Today this court sent a clear message: That if you attack a New York City police officer, you're going to stay behind bars."
NYPD cracking down on scooters and illegal vehicles
New York City has seen a spike in crimes involving scooters, particularly robbery patterns -- from zero between Jan. 1 and June 1 in 2022, to 20 during that same time in 2023 and more than 80 so far this year.
Officials say those patterns include hundreds of individual cases.
Police responded Tuesday with increased security checkpoints at bridge and tunnels. Officials said they will be looking for things like mopeds, ATVs or so-called "ghost cars," with fake license plates.
