The profession legal in a Yankees jersey who shot a teen woman with a stray bullet close to Manhattan’s Mexican Day Parade admitted to cops, “That’s me … holding the gun” in footage, prosecutors stated Tuesday.
Joel Nieves, 35, sang like a canary when police confirmed him surveillance video of the Sunday night taking pictures on the nook of twenty seventh Road and Park Avenue — the place he opened fireplace on rival gang members and struck an harmless 17-year-old woman within the shoulder, authorities stated at his arraignment.
“That’s me carrying the Yankees jersey and camouflage pants within the {photograph}. I’m holding a gun. I fired it twice,” Nieves confessed to cops, in keeping with the legal criticism.
Manhattan Assistant District Lawyer Stephanie Ritter advised the choose, “He admitted to possessing a gun and firing it a rival gang members.”
It’s not clear what sparked the violent dispute.
The teenage sufferer suffered a collapsed lung from the taking pictures and is anticipated to stay hospitalized at Bellevue, officers stated. Her shaken mom declined remark to The Put up on Tuesday.
Nieves — who’s from The Bronx and has not less than 10 prior arrests — is charged with tried homicide, assault and weapon prices. He appeared earlier than Manhattan Legal Courtroom Decide Janet McDonnell, who granted the prosecution’s request and held him on $250,000 money bail.
Nieves might face extra prices, too, prosecutors stated.
Investigators additionally suspect him within the stabbing of a 24-year-old man that occurred on the nook on twenty eighth Road and Madison Avenue simply moments earlier than the taking pictures, authorities stated.
New video of the stabbing reveals Nieves holding a scalpel through the gang assault of the male sufferer — and the weapon was later discovered on Nieves after he was arrested within the taking pictures, in keeping with prosecutors.
Cops have already arrested a 14-year-old boy linked to the stabbing and charged him with gang assault.
William Miller
Prosecutors didn’t reveal what gang Nieves is allegedly tied to.
His lawyer, Brad Foster of the Authorized Help Society, tried downplaying Nieves’ legal historical past in court docket by saying his lone conviction occurred in 2013.
However Nieves additionally pleaded responsible to a 2014 tried theft and did time — and Tuesday’s choose famous he at the moment has two open warrants for bailing on court docket dates in separate Brooklyn and Queens issues.
Nieves beforehand pleaded responsible 2014 to second-degree tried theft after he and one other man robbed a girl of her cellphone and purse on the Higher East Facet, in keeping with the legal criticism.
He was sentenced to 6 months in jail and 5 years probation.
Nieves additionally has plenty of different arrests starting from fare evasion, marijuana gross sales and weapon possession.
He’s due again in court docket Sept. 26.
