Two New York police officers injured in shootout with moped-riding robbery suspect: officials

Two New York City police officers are recovering from injuries sustained after both were shot early Monday morning while pursuing a moped-riding suspect authorities described as an illegal immigrant from Venezuela.

The shooting occurred in the borough of Queens, where the injured officers were on duty early Monday morning to combat recent robberies in the area. Victims had their cellphones ripped from their hands and at least one robbery victim was attacked by suspects on mopeds and scooters, police said.

One of the injured officers, 26-year-old Richard Yarusso, who joined the NYPD nearly three years ago, was saved thanks to his bulletproof vest, which prevented a bullet from hitting him in the torso, officials said.

During a press conference on Monday, New York Mayor Eric Adams held up the officer’s protective vest, pointed to a bullet hole and said, “Because of this vest, a young police officer is going home.”

Adams, a former New York Police Department captain, described the shooting as a “senseless act of violence and total disregard for life.”

The other injured officer, Christopher Abreu, also 26 and a five-year veteran of the NYPD, was shot in the leg, said NYPD Chief Edward Caban, who said the shooting was further evidence of how hard NYPD officers “go to great lengths to keep our city safe.”

“Every day they walk towards danger, and we saw that again this morning,” Caban said.

Officers Yarusso and Abreu are assigned to the 115th Precinct’s public safety team and were on duty in East Elmhurst, Queens, when they saw the suspect, identified by police as Bernardo Raul Castro Mato, riding an unregistered moped the wrong way down a one-way street at 1:40 a.m. Eastern time and attempted to stop him, Caban said.

“The suspect then fled on foot and our officers began a foot pursuit that continued for several blocks,” Caban said. “During the pursuit, the suspect fired several shots at our officers, who then returned fire.”

The suspect was shot in the right leg, police said, and taken to New York Presbyterian Queens Hospital, where he underwent surgery Monday morning. An illegal firearm was seized at the scene, police said.

Yarusso and Abreu were treated and released at Elmhurst Hospital, where they were applauded by their colleagues as they left the hospital.

Patrick Hendry, president of the New York City Police Benovelent Association, called Yarusso and Abreu’s actions “heroic.”

Hendry said Yarusso likely saved Abreu’s life by putting a tourniquet around his injured leg.

“That’s what partners do in the NYPD,” Hendry said. “They save each other’s lives, and that’s exactly what happened here today.”

Joe Kenny, chief of criminal investigations for the New York Police Department, said Castro is a suspect in several robberies, each involving hundreds of incidents.

“Many of these crimes were committed by perpetrators on scooters and motorcycles,” Kenny said.

Kenny said the number of robberies across the city involving perpetrators on mopeds and scooters was 80 so far this year.

Kenny said the suspect lived in a former Courtyard Marriott hotel in Queens that had been converted into a shelter for migrants.

The suspect is from Venezuela and, according to Kenny, entered the United States illegally from Mexico via Eagle Pass in the state of Texas in July 2023.