Two individuals arrested in connection with NYC shooting of border agent face charges for possessing ammunition as undocumented immigrants.
Two men from the Dominican Republic have been charged in connection with a violent incident involving an off-duty Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer in upper Manhattan, federal authorities announced. Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, 21, and Christhian Aybar-Berroa, 22, were apprehended after a brazen attempted robbery that ended with the officer being shot.
The charges against the men include possession of ammunition by an illegal alien, as confirmed by officials from the Department of Homeland Security. However, it remains unclear why more severe charges, such as attempted murder and assault, were not pursued in this case.
According to authorities, the incident occurred during the late hours of July 19, while the off-duty officer was enjoying a moment at Fort Washington Park with a companion. At approximately 11:50 p.m., the two suspects approached on a moped, allegedly intent on robbing him. Surveillance footage captured the moment Mora Nunez, armed and dressed in white, dismounted from the moped and crept up on the officer from behind. Following a brief confrontation, Mora Nunez opened fire, critically injuring the officer. In response, the officer engaged the suspects, returning fire and ultimately striking Mora Nunez, who was subsequently taken to a nearby hospital by his accomplice.
The officer, 42, was transported to Harlem Hospital, where he was reported to be in stable condition following the incident. Mora Nunez, who illegally entered the United States through Arizona in 2023, had a prior history of arrests, including charges related to domestic violence, robbery, and felony assault. Additionally, he had pending allegations in Massachusetts connected to stolen weapon offenses.
Aybar-Berroa, who also entered the United States unlawfully, shares a similar criminal background, with law enforcement records indicating his involvement in a series of robberies alongside his alleged accomplice.
If convicted on the current federal charges, Mora Nunez could face a maximum of 15 years in prison, while Aybar-Berroa could face a sentence of up to seven and a half years.
In a related political development, former President Trump has filed a federal lawsuit against the city of New York and Mayor Eric Adams, targeting the city’s sanctuary policies. He has highlighted the shooting incident as indicative of a broader pattern of violent crime associated with undocumented immigrants. However, statistics from the current year reveal a decrease in major crimes across the city, including a 26% reduction in murders and a 22% decline in shootings, suggesting that the narrative surrounding crime rates may not support the claims made by the former president.
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