Steven Cohen has been charged with murder and other crimes for the Monday evening shooting that claimed the life of a 26-year-old man inside an Ozone Park smoke shop.
By Michael V. Cusenza
A homeless man has been charged with murder and other crimes for the Monday evening shooting that claimed the life of a 26-year-old man inside an Ozone Park smoke shop, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Tuesday.
Steven Cohen, 63, was arraigned Tuesday on a complaint charging him with murder in the second degree, attempted murder in the second degree and 2 counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree.
Cohen was ordered remanded and to return to court on Friday, Oct. 30.
“We need to thank the off-duty police officer for his bravery and swift action, tackling and disarming the defendant, assuring that no other lives were lost,” DA Katz noted.
According to the charges, on Monday, Oct. 26, at approximately 6:15 p.m. inside the Cross Bay Express Deli, at 137-02 Cross Bay Blvd., the defendant became engaged in a verbal dispute with the victim, Tarwala Mahmadkhurshid, an employee at the store. The defendant was asked to leave the deli and
shortly after allegedly returned with a Colt revolver, fired multiple times and struck the 26-year-old once in the abdomen. The defendant then turned to another employee and allegedly fired again, but missed his target.
The defendant was disarmed and immediately apprehended by a patron of the store, a police officer who was off duty at the time.
Mahmadkhurshid was transported to a local Queens hospital where he was pronounced dead.
“The incident started with a dispute and ended with the accused allegedly taking of the life of a 26-year-old man,” Katz said. “We need to thank the off-duty police officer for his bravery and swift action, tackling and disarming the defendant, assuring that no other lives were lost. The defendant will be held accountable.”
If convicted, Cohen faces up 25 years to life in prison.
