Omer Khogali
A 16-year-old Astoria girl clings to life after being beaten savagely with a brick near her home in Astoria. Police say an East Elmhurst man has been charged with repeatedly hitting a 16-year-old Astoria girl in the head with a brick last Tuesday evening, critically wounding her.
Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown identified the suspect as Omer Khogali, 17, of 19-22 81st Street, East Elmhurst. He faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted and was held without bail after his arraignment in front of the judge and ordered to return to court on April 29, 2013.
“The defendant is accused of a particularly vicious and brutal assault that has left a young girl clinging to life. The case will be vigorously prosecuted, the defendant struck the victim, Michelle Rodriguez, 16, of Astoria, Queens, in the head multiple times with a brick at approximately 10:45 p.m. on April 9, 2013, near 22-63 43rd Street, also in Astoria. After striking Ms. Rodriguez, the defendant fled the scene with the brick. It is alleged that video surveillance showed the defendant dropping an object near the intersection of 43rd Street and 23rd Avenue. A brick with blood stains was allegedly recovered from the ground at this location.
It is additionally alleged that prior to the incident, the defendant was observed by a witness walking up to several vehicles in the area and pulling on car door handles. According to the complaint, the defendant heard somebody scream and that he hit them with a brick to shut them up.
