South Ozone Park Man Indicted in Deadly Birthday Party Quadruple Shooting

Posted by
1 min read
July 20, 2024

SOUTH OZONE PARK, NY – Curtis Benjamin, a 27-year-old resident of South Ozone Park, has been indicted on multiple charges including murder and attempted murder following a deadly incident at a birthday party in Richmond Hill in 2022.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Benjamin was arraigned today on a 14-count indictment that includes murder in the second degree and various weapon and assault charges. The shooting, which occurred on July 2, 2022, resulted in the death of 24-year-old Justin Baerga and left three others wounded.

The tragic event unfolded at approximately 9:39 p.m. at D-Touch Collision, an auto repair shop, where Baerga was celebrating his birthday. Benjamin allegedly arrived at the scene in a black SUV, approached the shop, and fired 12 shots into the garage where the party was being held, striking Baerga in the head and legs.

Baerga was subsequently transported to Jamaica Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The other victims survived the attack. Benjamin is currently being held, with a court return date set for September 19. If convicted, he faces more than 25 years to life in prison.

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Don't Miss

Exit mobile version