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What to Know

The gunman who was riding a scooter while opening fire in several New York City neighborhoods earlier this month, apparently at random, killing one man and wounding three others, was indicted Wednesday on 14 counts between them one count of murder and five counts of attempted murder, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office.Thomas Abreu, 25, a Brooklyn resident, was charged with second-degree murder, five counts of attempted second-degree murder degree, two counts of first-degree assault, three counts of attempted first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric announced. González. If convicted, Abreu would face life in prison.

NEW YORK — The gunman who rode a scooter while opening fire in several New York City neighborhoods earlier this month, apparently at random, killing one man and wounding three others, was indicted Wednesday. of 14 counts including one count of murder and five counts of attempted murder, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office.

Thomas Abreu, 25, of Brooklyn, was charged with second degree murder, five counts of attempted second degree murder, two counts of first degree assault, three counts of attempted first degree assault, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced. If convicted, Abreu would face life in prison.

The spate of gunfire began at Ashford Street and Arlington Avenue around 11 a.m. in the Cypress Hills area on July 8. A 21-year-old man was walking when he was shot in the shoulder. He was transported to Brookdale Hospital with serious, non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

“Detectives from the 75th Precinct responded to the scene with a patrol car. As they began to process the scene, they came across video showing a Hispanic male approaching our victim from behind on a scooter, raising his hands once and shoots once it hits our victim,” New York Police Deputy Chief Joseph Kenny said at a news conference after the series of shootings.

Then, at around 11:26 a.m., an 86-year-old man was walking down Jamaica Avenue near 108th Street when he was shot multiple times in the back. According to the district attorney’s office, Abreu was observed by video surveillance cameras and an eyewitness at 108th Street and Jamaica Avenue in Richmond Hill riding a scooter wearing a green shirt and a fanny pack over his shoulder. It was in this area that he approached 86-year-old Hamod Saeidi and shot him in the back, according to the charges. Saeidi was transported to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and pronounced dead, police said.

At about the same time and in the same location, Abreu, still riding his scooter, shot a pedestrian walking a dog on the sidewalk and another pedestrian crossing the street, the district attorney’s office said. Neither was injured, but the shots were captured on video surveillance.

“Numerous witnesses described the man on a scooter randomly shooting at a group of people who were standing at the corner of 108th St and Jamaica Avenue,” the assistant chief said.

At around 11:35 am, the suspect shot a 44-year-old man at 126th Street and Hillside Avenue on the border between Kew Gardens and Richmond Hill. According to charges filed by the district attorney’s office, Abreu stopped his scooter next to a parked minivan and shot the driver once in the head at point-blank range. The victim was taken to a hospital and is currently in serious condition. Video surveillance showed Abreu at 126th Street and Hillside Avenue.

Minutes later, the suspect shot a 63-year-old man in the shoulder at 134th Street and Jamaica Avenue. He was transported to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center with serious, non-life-threatening injuries.

Abreu was arrested around 1 p.m. after New York City Police officers spotted him on Sutphin Boulevard and Archer Avenue on his scooter wearing a green shirt and fanny pack, and arrested him after a foot chase. . The officers later allegedly found a loaded handgun with an extended magazine and a fanny pack with additional ammunition.

Additionally, according to the district attorney citing the charges, Abreu is also alleged to have shot a pedestrian in Brooklyn earlier that day.

In a press conference after the harrowing events, police said the suspect had at least one prior arrest in the city.

It is still not clear what prompted Abreu to shoot so many people. NYPD officials said footage obtained in the hours immediately after the shootings appears to show “random gunshots.”

Information from Abreu’s attorney was not immediately available.

2023-07-19 18:24:00
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