QUEENS, NY — Bernardo Raul Castro Mata pleaded guilty on Wednesday to attempted murder and assault charges after shooting two NYPD officers during a confrontation in East Elmhurst in June.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said Mata, 20, admitted to shooting Officer Richard Yarusso in the chest and Officer Christopher Abreu in the leg after officers attempted to stop him for operating an unregistered motorcycle without a helmet while driving the wrong way on Ditmars Boulevard near 90th Street. The incident occurred around 1:40 a.m. on June 3.
“The defendant shot two New York City police officers at close range after they attempted to stop him for driving erratically on an unregistered motorcycle,” Katz said in a statement. “Thankfully, one officer’s bullet resistant vest saved his life while the other officer was able to recover from his injuries.”
According to the charges, after abandoning the motorcycle and fleeing on foot, Mata resisted arrest during a struggle with Officers Abreu and Yarusso. While the officers attempted to subdue him, Mata pulled a gun from his crossbody bag and opened fire. Officer Yarusso was struck in the lower chest, protected by his vest, and Officer Abreu was hit in the upper right thigh.
Officer Abreu returned fire, striking Mata in the foot and ankle. Sergeant Nicholas Condos, who had arrived on the scene, then secured the firearm and placed Mata in custody. Both injured officers were treated and released from a local hospital.
Sentencing expected in June
Mata pleaded guilty in Queens Supreme Court to second-degree attempted murder and second-degree assault. Justice Kenneth Holder scheduled sentencing for June 10.
Under the terms of the plea, Mata is expected to serve 28 years in prison — 25 years for attempted murder followed by five years of post-release supervision, and three years for assault followed by three years of post-release supervision. The sentences will run consecutively.
Investigators recovered a loaded Hi-Point .380-caliber pistol at the scene, along with multiple discharged shell casings and bullet fragments. The evidence was collected following the exchange of gunfire during the arrest.
The Queens District Attorney’s Office stated that the case underscores the dangers officers face while performing routine patrols and enforcement.