Gunman who shot teen near NYC’s Mexican Day Parade outs himself, cops say
Bronx man with prior arrests admitted to police that he fired the gun near Manhattan's Mexican Day Parade, according to prosecutors.
A man accused of shooting a 17-year-old girl in a stray-bullet incident near Manhattan's Mexican Day Parade admitted to police that he fired the gun and identified himself in surveillance footage, prosecutors said Tuesday. In the criminal complaint, Nieves told investigators, "That's me wearing the Yankees jersey and camouflage pants in the photograph. I am holding a gun. I fired it twice." The shooting occurred at the corner of 27th Street and Park Avenue, where prosecutors say he opened fire on rival gang members, striking the teenage victim in the shoulder and causing a collapsed lung. She was hospitalized at Bellevue, officials said.
At his arraignment Tuesday in Manhattan Criminal Court, 35-year-old Joel Nieves was ordered held on $250,000 cash bail on charges including attempted murder, assault and weapon possession, according to Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Ritter. The judge, Janet McDonnell, granted bail as prosecutors described the incident as a shooting that left the teen with a collapsed lung. The victim's mother declined to comment to The Post.
Investigators also allege Nieves was involved in a stabbing of a 24-year-old man at the corner of 28th Street and Madison Avenue moments before the shooting. Video recovered by police shows Nieves holding a scalpel during the gang assault, and the weapon was found on Nieves after his arrest, prosecutors said. A 14-year-old boy connected to the stabbing has also been arrested and charged with gang assault.
Prosecutors said Nieves could face additional charges related to the stabbing. They did not disclose Nieves's gang affiliation or which gang authorities believe is involved. Nieves is a Bronx resident with more than a decade of prior arrests; he has at least 10 prior arrests, including a 2013 conviction for a lone crime, and a 2014 guilty plea to second-degree attempted robbery that resulted in six months in jail and five years of probation. He also has two open warrants for failing to appear in Brooklyn and Queens matters. He is due back in court September 26.
Investigators believe both the shooting and the stabbing are tied to gang activity, though prosecutors did not disclose the exact gang identification. The 17-year-old victim's name has not been released publicly, and police have not disclosed a motive. Authorities said the investigation is ongoing.