Man arraigned on attempted murder charges in shooting of 2 NYPD officers
EAST ELMHURST (WABC) -- The man indicted for shooting two NYPD officers in Queens has been arraigned in Queens criminal court.
Bernardo Raul Castro Mata, 19, is charged with attempted murder and assault. He entered a plea of not guilty on Wednesday.
Police say he opened fire on officers who tried to pull him over while he was riding a scooter in the wrong direction on a street in East Elmhurst on June 3.
Mata allegedly wounded two officers as he attempted to flee, but police returned fire and struck the Venezuelan migrant.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz revealed that Mata allegedly shot the officers at point blank range, striking one in the leg and the other in the front of his bullet proof vest.
"An attempt on the lives of two police officers simply making a traffic stop should offend every New Yorker," Katz said. "The grand jury returned serious charges against the defendant including two counts of attempted murder in the first degree."
Mata is still recovering from a gunshot wound at Bellevue Hospital, where he will remain in the custody of the state with no release anytime soon.
Both officers were released from the hospital the same day of the shooting but their recoveries continue.
"Even when they were shot and injured, they were proud to take this dangerous individual off the streets before he could hurt anyone else," said PBA President Patrick Hendry.
According to court documents, Mata told detectives he's a member of a Venezuelan gang, how the gun he had was allegedly smuggled, and named names.
If convicted, Mata faces a potential maximum sentence of up to 40 years to life in prison. His next court appearance is in September.
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