AN off-duty Customs and Border Protection officer has been shot in the face in a midnight ambush in a New York City park.
Horrifying video shows the moment two men on a moped pulled up to the officer, 42, and opened fire before racing away on Saturday.
Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, 21, is accused of ambushing and shooting an off-duty cop on Saturday night[/caption]
Christhian Aybar-Berroa was arrested on Monday morning[/caption]
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaking at a press conference in New York City on Monday after a CBP officer was shot on Saturday[/caption]
The two suspects arrested and identified as immigrants who are in the country illegally after a brief manhunt following their alleged botched robbery at Fort Washington Park.
The off-duty officer, who remains unnamed, was sitting with a woman on a rock by the Hudson River when the armed suspects arrived at around 11:50 pm, the New York Police Department said.
Footage shows one man approaching the officer and woman with his gun drawn while the other hung back near the bike.
One of the men then pulled out a gun and tried to rob the victims.
The officer then drew his service gun, and the suspect fired at him, shooting his right arm and left cheek.
The suspects fled as the CBP officer fired two shots at the gunman, hitting his leg.
The off-duty officer is now in stable condition in the hospital, police said.
“At this time we have no indication that the officer was targeted for his employment,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
Officials said both of the suspects are illegal immigrants from the Dominican Republic with lengthy criminal histories.
SUSPECTED GUNMAN
Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, 21, was detained on Saturday night after limping to the hospital with gunshot wounds to his leg and groin area.
At a press briefing on Monday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Nunez “has a rap sheet that is a mile long.”
He’s been arrested by the NYPD four times and has faced charges including grand larceny, assault, kidnapping, and witness intimidation.
“This violent criminal illegal alien had multiple run-ins with NYPD for assault and felony grand larceny before he ambushed and shot a CBP officer,” Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.
Noem said Nunez was ordered to be deported back to the Dominican Republic two years ago, but stayed in the US instead.
A judge issued a final order of removal to Nunez in November 2024, the Department of Homeland Security saidin a press release.
SUSPECTED DRIVER
The second suspect, who police identified as Christhian Aybar-Berroa, was arrested on Monday morning.
Aybar-Berroa entered the country illegally in June 2022, the DHS said.
A judge ordered him a final order of removal on January 3, 2023, but he stayed in the US.
The suspect, who is also from the Dominican Republic, was arrested eight times in March and April 2024 on grand larceny and robbery charges involving a scooter.
Tisch said Aybar-Berroa was arrested for Saturday’s incident after questioning by police.
Officials said the two suspects had to be released because police aren’t allowed to hold them for federal agents after they were arrested.
Now, ICE plans to hunt the suspects down on the streets instead of having them detained.
There’s absolutely zero reason that someone who is scum of the Earth like this should be running loose on the streets of New York City.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem
Border Czar Tom Homan said he plans to “flood the zone” with ICE agents to detain the suspects.
At Monday’s press briefing, Noem slammed New York City’s sanctuary laws that stop local cops from cooperating with federal immigration and Border Patrol agents.
“There’s absolutely zero reason that someone who is scum of the Earth like this should be running loose on the streets of New York City,” Noem said.
“Make no mistake, this officer is in the hospital today fighting for his life because of the policies of the mayor of this city and the City Council. The people that were in charge of keeping the public safe refused to do so.”
The officer is in stable condition and is expected to make a speedy recovery, police said.
The footage shows two men driving on a moped before the alleged ambush[/caption]
Noem slammed sanctuary city policies during Monday’s briefing[/caption]
