NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Two Queens men were arraigned Thursday on first-degree attempted murder and other charges in connection to the shooting of an off-duty rookie NYPD officer in Arverne on Tuesday.
According to the charges, at around 10 p.m. Tuesday, Chad Collie, 19, and Jayare Robinson, 18, walked up to a vehicle stopped at a traffic light near the intersection of Beach Channel Drive and Beach 62nd Street.
Collie allegedly tapped on the driver's side window and demanded that the driver exit the vehicle. The driver, identified by sources as 22-year-old NYPD officer Manuel Soto, then got out of the car.
Surveillance video shows Collie and Robinson standing on either side of the officer, who then tries to get away from them.
Collie allegedly fired three shots at the officer, and one bullet struck him in the shoulder. The off-duty officer returned fire, but hit neither defendant. The two defendants then fled on foot from the scene.
According to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, officers responding to the sound of gunfire in an unmarked police vehicle spotted the defendants on Beach 62nd Street. They followed the suspects to the intersection of Beach Channel Drive and Beach 59th Street, stopped a few feet away, and got out of the car.
Collie is accused of firing a shot at them, striking the back of their car. He then allegedly threw the gun into a patch of grass, which was later recovered, and continued running. The defendants were apprehended by uniformed officers not long after.
Three shell casings were discovered near the intersection of Beach 62nd Street and Beach Channel Drive, where Collie allegedly fired at the off-duty officer, who has since been treated for his injuries at a local hospital.
The wounded rookie officer was released on Thursday afternoon after undergoing multiple surgeries.
Soto was wheeled out of Jamaica Hospital and received a hero's welcome from hospital staff and dozens of fellow officers, who cheered and clapped as he was discharged. Even with a mask on, it was clear he was smiling, WCBS 880's Mack Rosenberg reported.
Soto was headed to work at the Brooklyn South Precinct when he was shot by the two suspects during an attempted carjacking.
"When the call came over the radio, when everyone's phone started ringing, we said, 'Oh no, not again,'" said PBA President Lynch.
Lynch said it's a difficult time for the NYPD after the murders of Officers Jason Rivera and Wilbert Mora two weeks ago.
"We instinctively say a police officer shot, it must be the worst. But what we have to do is, we can't get used to it. We have to be outraged. We have to be concerned. We have to be scared, to say we can not allow this to happen," Lynch said.
Lynch expects Soto will recover.
"He's been happy since he got here when he got the word that he will be okay," Lynch said. "He went through a number of surgeries, and he's strong young person. I'm sure his shoulder will heal cause he's just out of the academy and he did an awful lot of push ups."
In a 13-count complaint, Collie was charged with first-degree attempted murder, second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, first-degree attempted robbery, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree attempted robbery and second-degree assault. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the top charge.
Robinson was charged with second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, first-degree attempted robbery, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree attempted robbery and second-degree assault. Robinson faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.
Queens Criminal Court Judge Laurie Peterson scheduled their next court appearance for next Monday.
"This was a brazen carjacking attempt that all-too-easily could have ended in yet another tragedy for NYPD and all New Yorkers. ...This blatant disregard for human life must be answered with certain justice," Katz said in a statement.
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