Thomas Abreu Accused of Shooting 4 People in NYC

*(CNN) — A Brooklyn man, Thomas Abreu, accused in a string of random shootings throughout New York Metropolis appeared earlier than a choose by video Monday to formally face costs within the rampage that left one individual useless and three others wounded, in response to the Queens District Legal professional’s Workplace.

The case towards Abreu, 25, who police stated was driving a scooter through the assaults, was outlined in a felony criticism. He was charged with homicide within the second diploma, 4 counts of tried homicide within the second diploma, two counts of assault within the first diploma and two counts of felony possession of a weapon within the second diploma, the district legal professional’s workplace stated in a information launch.

A spokesperson for the DA’s workplace stated Abreu appeared remotely earlier than Decide Scott Dunn from a hospital.

CNN reached out to Abreu’s legal professional, Jonathan Latimer, for remark and requested whether or not he entered a plea however didn’t hear again.

Abreu is accused of driving an unlawful scooter and not using a license plate and opening hearth at random at 5 completely different elements of Brooklyn and Queens, the New York Police Division stated.

By the top of the rampage, an aged man was useless and three different males have been shot and wounded, police stated.

“The streets of two boroughs have been was scenes of terror as this defendant allegedly rode his scooter, capturing indiscriminately at pedestrians and others,” Queens District Legal professional Melinda Katz stated Monday. “Thanks to the NYPD for shortly apprehending the suspect. My workplace will maintain him totally accountable and search justice for the victims.”

Abreu is scheduled to seem in courtroom on Thursday, in response to the district legal professional’s workplace.

Authorities are nonetheless investigating the reasoning behind the assault and haven’t launched a possible motive.

“We don’t know the motive. It appears that evidently that is really random,” stated Joseph Kenny, assistant chief of the NYPD’s Detective Bureau. “At the moment, video exhibits that he’s not concentrating on anyone, he’s not following anyone. As he’s driving on his scooter, he’s randomly capturing folks.”

The 5 shootings unfolded over about half an hour, beginning round 11:10 a.m. Saturday in Brooklyn, Kenny stated.

After the primary capturing, detectives accessed video that confirmed the suspect approaching the sufferer from behind on a scooter and firing one shot, police stated.

Seventeen minutes later – at 11:27 a.m., police say – the identical suspect fired a gun at 86-year-old Hamoo Saeidi in Queens. Saeidi, who was shot as soon as within the again, died after being taken to a hospital, Kenny stated. Beforehand, police stated the slain sufferer was 87.

When officers arrived on the scene, they discovered of a 3rd capturing scene. Nobody was struck by gunfire at that location, however witnesses reported seeing a person driving a scooter “randomly firing at a gaggle of individuals,” Kenny stated.

The fourth capturing occurred at 11:35 a.m. when a 44-year-old man was shot within the cheek, Kenny stated. That man was hospitalized in vital situation.

Lower than a minute after that, the suspect shot a 63-year-old man in his proper shoulder, Kenny stated. That sufferer was hospitalized in secure situation, police stated.

Police stated the gunman used the identical weapon in all of the capturing incidents. The suspect had one prior arrest in New York Metropolis, in response to Kenny.

The NYPD later stated Abreu opened hearth at a beforehand unreported sixth location. The suspect allegedly approached a 40-year-old man standing on the intersection of Jamaica Avenue and 131st Road in Queens and shot on the man earlier than fleeing. The person was not injured, police stated.

The suspect was discovered with a 9 mm pistol and an prolonged journal Saturday afternoon, police stated.

NYPD Appearing Commissioner Edward Caban stated officers have been capable of finding and arrest the suspect by shortly distributing a picture of him to all close by NYPD officers, asking them to be looking out for the shooter.

Authorities say they haven’t discovered a serial quantity on the gun and are investigating whether or not the firearm was defaced or is likely to be a ghost gun.

Along with the weapon probably being unlawful, prolonged magazines are additionally towards the regulation in New York.

New York Metropolis has grappled with crime spikes for the reason that pandemic. NYPD statistics from final 12 months confirmed a 42.7% rise in main crimes by way of April 2022 in comparison with the identical interval in 2021, CNN beforehand reported. Knowledge exhibits homicide charges have been up by 9.2% over the two-year interval.

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