Officials stated that a driver from the Bronx has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly shooting at an off-duty NYPD detective in Queens last month.
Authorities report that Alexis Morillo, 40, became uncontrollable when a detective driving behind him on the Long Island Expressway near the Cross Island Parkway changed lanes and pulled in front of his SUV on September 17 at around 12:20 a.m.
According to the Queens District Attorney’s office, Morillo, who is from the Bronx, reportedly became enraged while driving and changed lanes to match the speed of the off-duty detective’s vehicle. He then proceeded to scream and fire shots at the detective in what appears to be an act of road rage.
According to prosecutors, the license plate of Morillo was reported to authorities by the off-duty cop who chased him down.
A bullet impacted the passenger door of the detective’s vehicle.
According to prosecutors, the off-duty officer pursued Morillo before contacting authorities and reporting his license plate.
Once the detective and Morillo reached the Horace Harding Expressway, they lost sight of him.
Prosecutors allege that after the shooting, Morillo abandoned his girlfriend’s Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 SUV in Astoria and then took an Uber to his residence in the Bronx.
Morillo was charged with a laundry list of offenses, including second-degree attempted homicide, attempted assault, reckless driving, and unlawfully fleeing a police officer in a vehicle.
Melinda Katz, the district attorney for Queens, stated that the detective “nearly lost his life in an act of mindless violence.”
Katz said in a statement, “We cannot relent in our efforts to remove firearms from the streets, and we will continue to do everything possible to ensure the safety of our detectives and communities.”
If convicted, Morillo faces up to 25 years in prison. He must return to court on November 20.
More News:
- Feds say Alabama man held postal carrier at gunpoint during robbery
- Officer assaulted by a woman who has been arrested
