Transcript: Mayor Adams Visits Officers Shot In 115th Precinct And Briefs Media With NYPD Commissioner Caban

June 3, 2024

Deputy Commissioner Tarik Sheppard, Public Information, Police Department: All right, good morning, everybody. As you know we're here to talk about another senseless shooting of two of our officers this morning. 

Here with me, we have Mayor Eric Adams, we have the Police Commissioner Eddie Caban. Obviously, the deputy mayor of Public Safety, Deputy Mayor Banks, and several other NYPD executives that will be here to address the issue that took place last night. So, without further ado, I'm going to bring up the mayor and he'll address you, then the Police Commissioner. Then you'll hear from our Chief of Detectives, Joe Kenny, and then you'll hear from the Police Benevolent Association, all right? Mayor.

Mayor Eric Adams: This is a bullet hole. Because of this vest, a young police officer is going home. Senseless act of violence, a total disregard for life. Our officers responded with a level of discipline, a level of focus, a level of professionalism. Today we thank God. When I spoke with the parents of these officers, I could only think of my brother and I and the impact my mom would have. This is what we're fighting every day. 

This department has removed over 15,000 illegal guns off our streets in the hands of dangerous people. Everyday New Yorkers are not wearing this. I want to thank the police commissioner, the men and women of the Police Department. We're putting their lives on the line every day. If this is not a real symbol of that, then I don't know what is. Commissioner.

Police Commissioner Edward Caban: Okay, thank you, Mr. Mayor. This morning, we get another reminder of everything our officers do and what they do to put themselves on the line to make sure our city is safe. 

Every day, they go toward the danger. We saw it again earlier this morning at the 115th precinct. I'll summarize the details in a moment. First, I want to thank the medical staff here at New York City Health and Hospitals Elmhurst. They worked hard on our officers. They work with great skill for our injured officers. We're very grateful to them because we know that it could have turned out very differently. The following information is preliminary and will be subject to change as the investigation continues. 

Approximately 1:40 A.M., uniformed officers assigned to the 115th precinct public safety team were working to address a robbery pattern in the area involving perpetrators on mopeds and scooters. They observed a male suspect drive a moped the wrong way on 82nd Street near 23rd Avenue and attempted to pull him over. 

The suspect then fled on foot and our officers began a foot pursuit which led for several blocks. During the pursuit, the suspect fired multiple rounds at our officers who then returned fire. One officer was shot in the front of his bullet resistant vest. The other officer was shot in his leg. Both of our cops were taken to Elmhurst Hospital where they are being treated. 

Thankfully, they are both in stable condition. The suspect was also shot in the right ankle and he was removed to New York Presbyterian Queens by EMS also in stable condition. A firearm was recovered at the scene. We visited the officers and their families a few moments ago. They're in good spirits and the NYPD stands at the ready to assist them in the full recovery. 

Once again, this could have gone a very different way. It's only by the grace of God that we're out here talking about a terrible tragedy. We are here again talking about illegal firearms and the violent criminals with absolutely no problem using them against our officers. Our officers were out there doing the job that we asked them to do and we are very grateful that they're going to be okay. Now our Chief Detective Joe Kenny will provide some further details. Chief.

Chief Joseph Kenny, Detectives, Police Department: Thank you, commissioner. As the commissioner said, this information is preliminary. The investigation is still ongoing. What we know so far is that our shooter has been identified as Bernardo Raul Castro Mata. He is 19 years old. He has no prior arrest in New York City. However, he is a suspect in several robbery patterns currently going on in the borough of Queens. 

This shooter currently resides at 90-10 Dittmars Boulevard, the former Courtyard Marriott Hotel, now being operated as the Landing Family Shelter. During tonight's incident, Castro Mata was observed illegally operating an unregistered motorbike the wrong way down a one-way street. 

Similar scooters and bikes are being used citywide to commit crimes. These crimes include shootings, robberies, and phone snatches. Many of these crimes have all been committed by the perpetrators riding on scooters and motorbikes. 

Just to paint you a quick picture of how many of these crimes are being committed. January 1st to June 1st, 2022, zero robbery patterns involving motorized scooters or motorcycles. The same time period, 2023, 20 robbery patterns. Year to date so far this year, January 1st to June 1st, 2024, we have over 80 robbery patterns citywide involving incidents where the perpetrators are riding motorized scooters or motorcycles. 

That's over 80 robbery patterns alone encompassing over hundreds and hundreds of incidents. The shooter, as the commissioner said, is currently at New York Presbyterian Queens Hospital and he's being treated for the gunshot wound to his right leg. He's expected to survive. I'd like to pass it off now to PBA President Pat Hendry.

Patrick Hendry, President, Police Benevolent Association: A few hours ago, most people in this city were sleeping. But this is a city that people don't sleep. As we see, there were criminals out in the street tonight looking for their next victim. But thankfully, these two heroic police officers were out in the street tonight, confronting a violent individual, putting their lives on the line to keep New Yorkers safe. 

Thankfully, avoiding a tragedy. The one police officer shot in the vest was more concerned about his partner, saving his life, getting a tourniquet. That's what partners do in the NYPD. They save each other's lives. That's what happened here today. The question has to be asked, why did this individual run? Why did he go on that scooter? Why did he take off? Why didn't he stop for the police? Why was he carrying a firearm? Why wasn't he afraid to shoot New York City police officers? We've been in courtrooms across this city, demanding change, packing those courtrooms, demanding change to the criminal justice system. 

What we noticed, when the cameras are on, everyone is doing their job, holding criminals accountable. When the cameras are off and people aren't paying attention, the criminal justice system is putting police officers and the public at risk. We're going to continue to be in the courtrooms across this city. For this case and other cases, holding criminals accountable and make sure that everyone's doing their job. We ask New Yorkers to stand with us and ask the criminal justice system to do their job every single day, so they're not putting police officers and the public at risk. Thank you.

Deputy Commissioner Sheppard: All right, so as you know the situation is still fluid, very active, and [the] investigation is ongoing, but we can answer a couple of questions.

Question: The shelter, is it a homeless shelter or a migrant shelter that the 19-year-old residence is in? Also, the gun he was using, was it illegal?

Chief Kenny: His residence is currently being used as a migrant shelter, and the gun itself is not legally possessed.

Question: Hi, is this connected, or what is the nexus to migrants?

Chief Kenny: Is this part of a migrant crime network is that something you're looking into? We're still looking into that, but what we've seen in the past with these motorized scooters, they operate as a crew, we're looking at him for several other robbery patterns in the Queens area, where he does have other co-defendants. 

Question: Can you tell us a bit more about the officers?

Jeffrey Maddrey, Chief of Department, Police Department: Yes, both, good morning. Both of the officers are assigned to the 115 precinct, the public safety unit. One officer has five years on the job, one officer has two and a half years on the job. Young officers, very bright, talented, they're going to have an amazing career in this department. They're very brave and courageous for what they did tonight, and what they've been doing, keeping New Yorkers safe.

Deputy Commissioner Sheppard: Thank you. Paisley, what was your first question? 

Question: I was curious about the nexus to migrant crime. You said that it was part of a robbery pattern in a migrant shelter. Is there a nationality associated with that?

Deputy Commissioner Sheppard: Yes, Chief Kenny can expand on that a little bit.

Chief Kenny: What we know is that the shooter here, he entered the country from Venezuela. He entered through Eagle Pass, Texas, back in July of 2023. We know that he entered the country illegally. The patterns that we're looking at currently in Queens that he's involved with involve phone snatches and instances where a woman was attacked, her credit card was stolen, and eventually used in a Queens smoke shop.

Question: And I assume that this is going to be a spider ripple effect to find anyone connected to him with this crime unit.

Chief Kenny: Absolutely. We're currently working on several patterns citywide. I said, over 80 robbery patterns this year alone in the last six months. When I say patterns, when I'm saying 80 patterns, we're connecting hundreds of incidents into those 80 patterns. 

Question: Is he cooperating? 

Chief Kenny: As of right now, he's in surgery. We haven't spoken to him.

Deputy Commissioner Sheppard: All right, so you can get updates from DCPI, but I want to thank everybody for coming out in this early morning and continue to pray for our two cops. All right, thank you.