The Venezuelan migrant accused of wounding two NYPD officers fired into one cop’s chest at “point-blank range” during a wild chase on a Queens street that saw a third Finest hop onto the shooter’s scooter in hot pursuit, prosecutors said during a dramatic court hearing Wednesday.
The accused shooter, Bernardo Raul Castro Mata, 19, was arraigned on attempted murder charges from a hospital bed, lying comfortably and at first appearing to sleep as his image was beamed into a Queens courtroom jam-packed with more than 50 NYPD officers.
Assistant District Attorney Lauren Reilly laid out a harrowing run-in between Mata and Officers Christopher Abreu and Richard Yarusso, both 26, early Monday as the cops conducted a traffic stop of the scooter-riding migrant. Mata fought back and pulled a gun on Yarusso, she said.
“He placed his .380-caliber Hi-Point pistol against the officer’s chest and fired,” she said.
Mata also shot Abreu in the leg before one of the cops returned fire and struck him in the ankle, the ADA alleged.
Prosecutors and court documents revealed new details Wednesday about the police chase through the streets of Elmhurst, including the actions of a third officer — Sgt. Nicholas Condos, who joined the two cops as they tried to stop Mata after spotting him riding a scooter the wrong way along Ditmars Boulevard without a helmet or license plate on a pedestrian-filled sidewalk.
Mata ditched his moped and ran off when the trio of cops walked up, documents state.
Condos then jumped onto Mata’s scooter and used it to chase the fleeing suspect, prosecutors said.
The chase ended near 23rd Avenue and 89th Street, where Yarusso and Abreu tried to cuff Mata, who struggled with the cops on the ground before he reached into a cross-body bag and pulled out a gun, according to court documents.
Both cops were shot once each in the struggle, which ended with Abreu shooting Mata in the ankle, documents state.
The sergeant was among the 54 cops in the courtroom during the arraignment, which ended with Queens Criminal Court Judge Jeffrey Gershuny ordering Mata to be held without bail.
“There is no monetary amount of bail that would ensure his return to court,” the judge said.
Mata faces 17 criminal counts, including first- and second-degree attempted murder, assault and resisting arrest. He’s next due in court Friday.
“It’s a long way to go for justice, but it’s a very good first step,” said Melinda Katz, Queens’ district attorney, after the arraignment.
