Man Pleads Guilty To Attempted Murder For Shooting 2 Cops In Queens, DA Says

QUEENS, NY — A 20-year-old man has pled guilty to attempted murder and other charges after he shot two NYPD officers who were attempting to pull him over close to one year ago, prosecutors announced.

Bernardo Raul Castro Mata, who also pled guilty to second-degree-assault, is accused of shooting officer Richard Yarusso and officer Christopher Abreu on June 3, 2024. Mata had been spotted driving a moped in the wrong direction on 82nd Street in East Elmhurst.

When officers tried to pull him over, Mata fled on foot and was chased for a few blocks until he suddenly took out a gun and fired at them, Patch previously reported.

Yarusso was hit in his bulletproof vest, while officer Christopher Abreu was shot in the leg.

The gun used in the incident was unlicensed and was recovered at the scene, police said.

“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. Once the officers caught up to the defendant, he fired at them," District Attorney Melinda Katz said. "Thankfully, one officer’s bullet resistant vest saved his life while the other officer was able to recover from his injuries. With today’s plea, the defendant will now be held responsible for his actions.”

Mata is expected to be sentenced to 28 years in prison — 25 years in prison on the attempted murder charge, followed by five years of post-release supervision, and three years on the assault charge followed by three years of post-release supervision. The sentences are to be served consecutively.

Mata's sentencing is scheduled for June 10.