By Forum Staff
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz on Wednesday announced that Bernardo Raul Castro Mata has pleaded guilty to shooting Police Officer Richard Yarusso in the lower chest area and Police Officer Christopher Abreu in the leg in June 2024 in East Elmhurst.
Mata, 20, undomiciled, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to attempted murder in the second degree and assault in the second degree.
According to the charges, on June 3 at approximately 1:40 a.m., NYPD police officers Christopher Abreu and Richard Yarusso and Sgt. Nicholas Condos were on patrol in an unmarked police vehicle while wearing NYPD uniforms.
The officers and sergeant observed Mata operating an unregistered motorcycle and driving the wrong way down Ditmars Boulevard near 90th Street in East Elmhurst. Mata was not wearing a helmet while operating the motorcycle. The defendant was also observed weaving the motorcycle onto the sidewalk with pedestrians present.
Yarusso and Condos exited the unmarked police vehicle and attempted to approach Mata, at which point the defendant left the motorcycle and fled the scene on foot. Yarusso began a foot pursuit, while Abreu followed the defendant in the unmarked vehicle. Condos pursued the defendant using the motorcycle that the defendant had been operating.
After reaching Mata, Abreu attempted to place him under arrest. The defendant resisted arrest by twisting his body, flailing his arms and reaching inside a bag he was wearing across his chest.
Yarusso attempted to help Abreu place the defendant in handcuffs and the two officers struggled with the defendant on the ground.
During the struggle, Mata removed a firearm from his crossbody bag and shot Yarusso in the lower chest at point-blank range. The officer’s bullet-resistant vest stopped the bullet. Mata also shot Abreu and struck him in the upper right thigh area.
Abreu returned fire, shooting Mata in the foot and ankle area, at which point the defendant let go of the firearm. Condos arrived and placed the defendant in handcuffs.
Both officers were treated for their injuries and released from a local hospital.
Police recovered a loaded Hi-Point .380-caliber pistol at the scene as well as two deformed fired bullets, nine bullet fragments, three discharged .380-caliber shell casings, and four 9 mm discharged shell casings.
“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. 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,” Katz said.
The Hon. Kenneth Holder set sentencing for June 10. 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.
