<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1fczvw_0u8A136O00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1fczvw_0u8A136O00" width="800" height="450" >NEW YORK, NY - Bernardo Raul Castro Mata, a 19-year-old Venezuelan illegal immigrant arrested for shooting two NYPD Officers, was arraigned on a 20-count indictment at Queens County Criminal Court on Wednesday that included charges of attempted first-degree murder. As reported by <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/newyork/news/bernardo-raul-castro-mata-nypd-officers-shot-east-elmhurst-queens/">CBS News</a>, Mata revealed to police how guns are being smuggled into the illegal immigrant encampments in New York and told detectives that he's a member of a Venezuelan gang called Tren de Aragua. He argued that it is common practice for the gang to shoot at police officers, alleging that Venezuelan police shoot at them for minor crimes.The Grand Jury Wednesday returned the charges accusing Mata of shooting Officers Richard Yarusso and Christopher Abreu in the early hours of June 3rd, as previously reported by <a href="https://www.lawenforcementtoday.com/venezuelan-illegal-immigrant-in-new-york-shoots-two-police-officers-suffers-minor-wound">Law Enforcement Today</a>. The incident occurred after an attempted traffic stop of a wrong-way driver on a moped believed to be in connection to a string of burglaries in the area.Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz told reporters, "One of [the police officers] was shot point blank in the abdomen, one in the leg. Despite that, they continued to make the arrest." She added, "It was alleged the scooter was unregistered, unlicensed. He was not wearing a helmet."<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">An illegal immigrant, Bernardo Raul Castro Mata, 19, who is accused of killing two NYPD officers, claims that killing cops is part of his cultural background. He is affiliated with the Venezuelan TDA gang. <a href="https://t.co/8b3JuBCEHb">pic.twitter.com/8b3JuBCEHb</a> — Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) <a href="https://twitter.com/stillgray/status/1806290127947210754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote>The outlet reported that despite his assertion that shooting police officers is commonplace in his native land, Mata pleaded not guilty. He made the claim that the gun was not his and it accidentally went off during the incident with the officers. According to prosecutors, Mata told them, "I knew there was a gun in the bag. When the cops stopped me, I ran because I was scared."He claimed, “I stopped and took out the gun to show the officers and a round went off. That’s when the cop shot me. I didn’t pull the trigger. The gun went off once,” according to <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/06/26/us-news/violent-tren-de-aragua-gang-smuggles-guns-into-nyc-migrant-shelters-in-food-delivery-bags-accused-cop-shooter-reveals/">The New York Post</a>.Court documents obtained by CBS show that Mata, who was being held at Bellevue Hospital, told detectives that he is a member of Tren de Aragua and that guns are being smuggled into New York area shelters via food deliveries that avoid the metal detectors in place. He reportedly has also had prior run-ins with NYPD and had two stolen credit cards in his possession at the time of his arrest.Mata told police, “Tren de Aragua members are smuggling firearms into city shelters in food delivery packages – that way they don’t have to go through the metal detectors.”Mata's attorneys asked that he be placed in protective custody, a request Judge Kenneth Holder granted given his testimony against the gang which could make him a target. It was also ordered that the illegal immigrant gang member be held without bail.District Attorney Melinda Katz told The Post, “We’d like to make sure that he comes to trial. And is held accountable for attempted murder of two counts, against the police officers.”</div></body>

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Venezuelan illegal immigrant arraigned in NYPD shooting— reveals gangs smuggling guns into immigrant camps

NEW YORK, NY - Bernardo Raul Castro Mata, a 19-year-old Venezuelan illegal immigrant arrested for shooting two NYPD Officers, was arraigned on a 20-count indictment at Queens County Criminal Court on Wednesday that included charges of attempted first-degree murder. As reported by CBS News, Mata revealed to police how guns...