BRONX GRAND JURY CHARGES TEEN IN
CYPRESS AVENUE SHOOTING
Attempted Murder, Weapons & Other Charges for December 2014 Incident
(Bronx, NY – January 22, 2015) – Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson announces the Supreme Court arraignment of 17-year-old RAYMOND LEONARDO for the December 2014 incident at Cypress Avenue and East 140th Street, during which he is accused of shooting a .357 revolver in the direction of several individuals.
LEONARDO, age 17, is charged with the following felonies:
Attempted Murder in the 2nd Degree (3 counts)
Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2nd Degree (2 counts)
Attempted Assault in the 1st Degree (3 counts)
Criminal Possession of a Firearm
Reckless Endangerment in the 1st Degree
It is alleged that, on December 20th, 2014, LEONARDO was at East 140th Street and Cypress Avenue shortly before 9PM when he saw the three to four men whom he’d encountered two weeks earlier and who had expressed what he perceived as a threat to his sister — “They were like ‘yo, yo’ and I saw they were coming after me so I picked up my sister and ran home,” he told police and the District Attorney’s Office in videotaped statements.
It is further alleged LEONARDO fired a half dozen shots toward the individuals, and that they started running, “I aimed straight but didn’t hit anybody.” But bullets did hit windows of the apartment building at 673 East 140th Street, and bullet fragments were recovered from inside of two apartments.
Minutes later, police spotted LEONARDO and apprehended him on East 137th near Bruckner Boulevard, also recovering the firearm.
RAYMOND LEONARDO’s next appearance in court is on April 24, 2015 before Justice Nicholas Iacovetta in Part 96.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Burim Namani of the Bronx D.A. Trial Bureau 30/40.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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