Jan. 7, 2016 Staff Report
A 20-year Astoria man pleaded guilty to attempted murder today in connection with the shooting of two local men in July 2014, according to the Queens District Attorney’s Office.
The defendant, Angel Zabala, confessed to shooting the men while he and an unapprehended accomplice were walking near the Astoria intersection of Main Avenue and Welling Court between 12:50 am and 3:35 am on July 11, 2014.
According to the charges, Zabala and his accomplice walked up to the two victims, Jovany Heredia and Edwin Cruz, and asked,“What’s crackin’? It’s always crackin’ here. Who you reppin’?”
Zabala and the other individual started pummeling the two victims with punches and then the defendant pulled out a 9mm gun and fired. Heredia was shot three times and Cruz once. Both men were treated at area hospitals and recovered from their injuries. In pleading guilty, Zabala stated he was trying to kill the two men.
“This kind of random, senseless violence has no place in a civilized society,” said Queens District Attorney Richard A Brown in a statement.
Queens Supreme Court Justice Gregory L. Lasak indicated that Zabala will be sentence to 20 years in prison on February 24, 2016, Brown said.
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2 Comments
“between 12:50 am and 3:35 am on July 11, 2014. “Why is there such a gap in the time of the crime?
20 years in prison for a random attempted murder? Is this real?