Parks Employee Indicted For Murder Of Migrant At Bed-Stuy Playground

BED-STUY, NY — Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said a temporary Parks employee has been accused of gunning down a Venezuelan migrant who was sleeping at a Bed-Stuy playground.

The DA, which released the official accusation yesterday, said the murder took place at Steuben Playground on July 21.

Gonzalez accused Elijah Mitchell, the Parks employee, of shouting and removing tarps from where a few migrants were sleeping at the park three days earlier.

Gonzalez said that migrant Arturo Jose Rodriguez Marcano, 30, confronted Mitchell, 23, leading to a loud argument.

Mitchell then threatened Marcano by showing him a gun in his waistband, the DA said.

The DA suspects that three days later, Mitchell came back to the park at night and shot Rodriguez once in the chest before leaving in a car.

The court is accusing the defendant of a hate crime.

“This premeditated and coldblooded homicide is outrageous on many levels, not least because the alleged motive was hatred towards new arrivals to our city," Gonzalez said.

"My office will vigorously prosecute this horrific case, and these enhanced charges send a strong message that hate crimes will never be tolerated in Brooklyn.”

The indictment charges Mitchell with second-degree murder as a hate crime, second-degree murder, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree menacing as a hate crime, and second-degree menacing.

Bail was set at $350,000 cash or $2.5 million bond.

Mitchell has been ordered to return to court on October 23. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.