Cops bust moped driver in fatal Queens quadruple shooting, NYPD says
NYPD detectives have arrested one of the moped marauders responsible for fatally shooting one man and wounding three others in a Queens gang clash last month — and are looking for the “clown” who pulled the trigger, cops said Friday.
Juan Garcia, 24, was arrested for being the wheelman in the Sept. 18 bloodbath, where two men on a moped opened fire on a group standing outside a house on 41st Ave. near Warren St. in Elmhurst, cops said.
Garcia was grabbed in Queens on Thursday after he made a scheduled visit to his probation officer, NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig said.
The gunman, identified as Jose Hernandez, 34, was still being sought by authorities. Hernandez’s nickname is “Payaso,” which is Spanish for “clown,” Essig said.
Both men are members of the Surenos, the American branch of the Mexico-based MS-13 street gang. The Surenos are in a constant battle against the Latin Kings and their affiliates, police sources said.
Following the shooting, victim Edwin Naula, 28, died at Elmhurst Hospital, authorities said.
A 26-year-old man was shot in the hand, a 29-year-old man was blasted in the cheek and arm and a 32-year-old man was struck in the torso, police said. All three were taken to Elmhurst Hospital in stable condition.
The victims were members of the Latin Kings, Essig said.
Detectives charged Garcia with one count of murder and three counts of attempted murder, as well as weapons possession. His arraignment in Queens Criminal Court was pending Friday.
Garcia was on probation for an assault conviction, police said. He’s on probation until 2024.
