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Illegal migrant from Venezuela allegedly shot NYPD officers at 'point-blank range,' ordered held without bail

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Illegal migrant from Venezuela allegedly shot NYPD officers at 'point-blank range,' ordered held without bail

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The illegal immigrant accused of shooting two New York City Police Department officers in Queens was arraigned on attempted murder and other charges on Wednesday, as prosecutors outlined how the suspect allegedly opened fire at “point-blank range” during a struggle on the ground. 

Bernardo Raul Castro Mata, 19, appeared remotely from his hospital bed to be arraigned in Queens Criminal Court in connection to the shooting of Officers Richard Yarusso and Christopher Abreu. 

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Judge Jeffrey Gershuny ordered Castro Mato, who is recovering from a gunshot wound to the ankle, held without bail on charges of attempted murder, assault, criminal possession of a weapon, resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration, the New York Daily News reported. More than 50 police officers attended the hearing in person to show support for Yarusso and Abreu. 

Queens Assistant District Attorney Lauren Reilly said Castro Mata was the “very definition of a flight risk,” given he was “fleeing from uniformed police officers before shooting two police officers.” 

Authorities said Yarusso and Abreu were investigating a robbery pattern involving thieves on mopeds and scooters when they spotted Castro Mata on a scooter without a helmet riding the wrong way on 82nd St. near 23rd Ave. in East Elmhurst around 1:40 a.m. Monday. In court Wednesday, prosecutors said Castro Mata was riding an “unregistered motorcycle,” the Daily News reported. 

HOUSE REPUBLICAN USES AOC’S INSULT TO RIP SILENCE ON 2 COPS SHOT ALLEGEDLY BY MIGRANT GANG MEMBER: ‘BABY GIRL’

When the officers attempted to pull the migrant over, he fled on foot. One officer ran after him on foot, while the other followed in the police cruiser. The officers soon tackled Castro Mata to the ground.

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Bernardo Castro Mata, 19, appears in Queens Criminal Court on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, on attempted murder and other charges for allegedly shooting New York Police Department officers Christopher Abreu and Richard Yarusso. (Barry Williams/New York Daily News/Pool/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

“During the struggle, [Castro Mata] reached inside a crossbody bag that was across his chest, removed the firearm, put the gun against Officer Yarusso’s chest and shot Officer Yarusso in the lower middle portion of his chest at point blank range,” Reilly said, according to Daily News. “The defendant then shot Officer Abreu straight in the upper right thigh area.”

Gershuny ordered that Castro Mata be sent to Rikers Island once he is released from the hospital. 

“Trying to avoid a traffic stop using violence by any means necessary to get away leaves this court with no doubt whatsoever that he would flee with any means possible,” the judge said.

Police said Yarusso was wearing a bullet-resistant vest, which saved his life. Both officers were treated at Elmhurst Hospital and Yarusso pushed Abreu out in a wheelchair when they were both released hours after the shooting. Police returned fire during the struggle, and Castro Mata was shot in the ankle. He was taken to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Queens for treatment.

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New York City Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry addressed the media outside the Queens courthouse after Castro Mata’s arraignment.  (NYC PBA )

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT FROM VENEZUELA SHOOTS 2 NYC POLICE OFFICERS DURING FOOT CHASE IN QUEENS, AUTHORITIES SAY

“That night they both confronted a brazen, violent individual who wasn’t afraid to carry a gun and shoot two New York City police officers at point-blank range,” New York City Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry said at a press conference outside the courthouse. 

“The skill, the grit of these two police officers was the reason they not only survived, they were able to stop that individual from hurting anyone else. Today, this court sent a message that they’re going to support these police officers who put their lives on the line every single day, just like these police officers and every New York City police officer out their lives on the line to protect New Yorkers,” Hendry, surrounded by dozens of officers, said. “But this message needs to be consistent: That if you attack a police officer, in every borough, in every courthouse across this city, they will be prosecuted. And those who are responsible for our public safety, owe it to every single New Yorker, every single police officer that they’re going to have a system in place that protects us all.” 

Officer Richard Yarusso, who was shot in the chest and saved by his vest, wheeled his partner, Officer Christopher Abreu, who was shot in the leg, out of Elmhurst Hospital to the applause of NYPD brass and officers Monday, June 3, 2024.  (Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

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Police said Castro Mata entered the country illegally last July near El Paso, Texas and was staying at a former airport hotel-turned migrant shelter in the Elmhurst section of Queens. Citing sources, the New York Post reported that Castro Mata has a tattoo that signals to investigators he could be a member of Venezuela’s “bloodthirsty” Tren de Aragua gang.

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Prosecutors noted in court Wednesday that Mastro Mata’s .380-caliber pistol was recovered from the scene. It had two bullets left, one in the chamber and one in the magazine. 

Castro Mata was found in possession of multiple credit cards, two of which were connected to gunpoint robberies in the Bronx carried out by thieves on scooters at the time of his arrest. He had been suspected in a string of robberies and a May 30 incident in which investigators believe he pulled a gun on a security guard at a Lot Less store in Queens and fled by scooter.

After the shooting, police conducted a massive crackdown on illegal vehicles Tuesday night, seizing 72 illegal ATVs, motorbikes and mopeds as well as three vehicles during the operation. 

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Vermont

VT Lottery Powerball, Gimme 5 results for May 18, 2026

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Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win

Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.

Just the FAQs, USA TODAY

The Vermont Lottery offers several draw games for those willing to make a bet to win big.

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Those who want to play can enter the MegaBucks and Lucky for Life games as well as the national Powerball and Mega Millions games. Vermont also partners with New Hampshire and Maine for the Tri-State Lottery, which includes the Mega Bucks, Gimme 5 as well as the Pick 3 and Pick 4.

Drawings are held at regular days and times, check the end of this story to see the schedule.

Here’s a look at May 18, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from May 18 drawing

04-13-34-61-65, Powerball: 12, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Gimme 5 numbers from May 18 drawing

03-11-18-25-26

Check Gimme 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from May 18 drawing

Day: 2-6-7

Evening: 1-3-6

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 18 drawing

Day: 5-1-1-2

Evening: 1-0-2-9

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Megabucks Plus numbers from May 18 drawing

02-06-13-14-23, Megaball: 03

Check Megabucks Plus payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 18 drawing

01-05-20-29-34, Bonus: 02

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

For Vermont Lottery prizes up to $499, winners can claim their prize at any authorized Vermont Lottery retailer or at the Vermont Lottery Headquarters by presenting the signed winning ticket for validation. Prizes between $500 and $5,000 can be claimed at any M&T Bank location in Vermont during the Vermont Lottery Office’s business hours, which are 8a.m.-4p.m. Monday through Friday, except state holidays.

For prizes over $5,000, claims must be made in person at the Vermont Lottery headquarters. In addition to signing your ticket, you will need to bring a government-issued photo ID, and a completed claim form.

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All prize claims must be submitted within one year of the drawing date. For more information on prize claims or to download a Vermont Lottery Claim Form, visit the Vermont Lottery’s FAQ page or contact their customer service line at (802) 479-5686.

Vermont Lottery Headquarters

1311 US Route 302, Suite 100

Barre, VT

05641

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When are the Vermont Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
  • Gimme 5: 6:55 p.m. Monday through Friday.
  • Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
  • Pick 3 Day: 1:10 p.m. daily.
  • Pick 4 Day: 1:10 p.m. daily.
  • Pick 3 Evening: 6:55 p.m. daily.
  • Pick 4 Evening: 6:55 p.m. daily.
  • Megabucks: 7:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily

What is Vermont Lottery Second Chance?

Vermont’s 2nd Chance lottery lets players enter eligible non-winning instant scratch tickets into a drawing to win cash and/or other prizes. Players must register through the state’s official Lottery website or app. The drawings are held quarterly or are part of an additional promotion, and are done at Pollard Banknote Limited in Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Vermont editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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New York

Read the judge’s decision on evidence in the Luigi Mangione state murder trial.

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Read the judge’s decision on evidence in the Luigi Mangione state murder trial.

searched in the detainee’s presence, where possible. Once she quickly found the gun, she moved the backpack to a separate area, as required by APD protocol — that the search be moved out of the detainee’s presence if a weapon were recovered.
Once Wasser moved the backpack to a hallway area, she continued to sift through it, placing personal items back into the backpack, and putting other evidentiary items in manila envelopes, including items found at the McDonald’s, such as the gun magazine, the cellphone, and the knife, as well as items found at the station, including a silencer, the USB drive, and the red notebook. This was also consistent with APD protocol, that personal items be separated from evidence or contraband. All the items were then moved to Featherstone’s office so there would be more room to complete the inventory.
This initial inventory sufficiently complied with Altoona procedure to be a valid inventory search. See People v. Craddock, 235 AD3d 1105, 1109 (3d Dep’t 2025). Nor does the effort to separate evidence from personal property render the search unlawful. See People v. McCray, 195 AD3d 555, 557 (1st Dep’t 2021) (that one of the requirements of the inventory search was to “remove any contraband” did not render the inventory search invalid). While Wasser did not prepare a written list of the items, APD policies did not require documentation to be simultaneous with the search, and all the items were documented once they were moved to Featherstone’s office and the larger area of the roll-call room. Minor deviations from procedure will not invalidate an inventory search, Keita, 162 AD3d at 610, and courts have upheld inventory searches where there was a delay in documentation. See Douglas, 40 NY3d at 389 (11- hour delay in preparing list): People v. Echevarria, 173 AD3d 638, 639 (1st Dep’t 2019).
Once the items were moved to Featherstone’s office, and then the roll-call room, all items were meticulously documented. Featherstone, Heuston, and eventually Burns, placed each item in an envelope, labeled each envelope, and kept written lists of the items. Heuston and Featherstone also photographed each item, including each loose piece of paper and each page the notebook.

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Thus, it is clear that that the Altoona Police Department had an established inventory search protocol, that the protocol was followed, and that the search produced the “hallmark of an inventory search: a meaningful inventory list.” Johnson, 1 NY3d at 256. And as noted above, any

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Boston, MA

With the World Cup weeks away, Boston and the T clash over Summer Street closure – The Boston Globe

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With the World Cup weeks away, Boston and the T clash over Summer Street closure – The Boston Globe


“As we have shared with your team, it is imperative that a limited portion of Summer Street near South Station is closed to traffic,” read the letter sent from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s General Manger Phillip Eng to the city’s interim chief of streets, Nicholas Gove.

The T’s letter, dated May 15, goes on to suggest that the state is moving forward with the plan to close down that stretch of Summer Street with or without the city’s buy-in, with Eng stating that the letter serves “as notice that the MBTA intends to acquire the temporary right to occupy this portion of Summer Street.”

“The MBTA will continue to work with the City to secure a permit, which would allow the MBTA to withdraw this notice,” read the letter.

The city says not so fast, painting the letter as an “eminent domain” power move.

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“The City opposes this inappropriate use of eminent domain to bypass the permitting process for roadways under local jurisdiction, and we urge the Commonwealth to withdraw the filing while plans are being reviewed,” said a spokesperson for Mayor Michelle Wu’s administration in a statement.

The city’s agencies, according to the spokesperson, “have extensive experience managing major events of comparable scale, and the City has proposed alternatives to meet the safety and security needs of the World Cup while preserving access to this area for residents, visitors, and local commuters.”

The statement continued, “Full closure of a major route into the City for multiple entire workdays should be undertaken only as a last resort, and the City will continue working toward a resolution.”

The MBTA expects about 20,000 fans to take trains from Boston to Gillette Stadium for each of the local World Cup matches.

“Given the unprecedented number of people who will be coming to the South Station area to attend the World Cup, take their regular commutes or attend fan-related events, the MBTA has elevated its security posture in and around South Station to mirror those in place at [Gillette] Stadium on match days,” said Eng in the letter.

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Boston city officials argue that the plan would further snarl traffic in an area that is already heavily congested during rush hour. They worry that planned detours for the closure don’t accurately account for driver behavior and that the proposal is underpinned by old data.

The city also says it has identified alternative plans that would not involve shutting down Summer Street, including utilizing Dewey Square and the Rose Kennedy Greenway as staging areas for passengers.

World Cup matches will be held in Foxborough on June 13, 16, 19, 23, 26, and 29, as well as July 9. The T plans to close down the street for stretches of 10 hours on game days, according to the letter. Previously, the T and the city agreed to shut down a portion of Summer Street for games on June 13 and 19, but Eng declared in the letter that “equal public safety needs exist for the other five matches.”

Summer Street is a busy thoroughfare that stretches from the city’s Financial District into the Seaport and South Boston. The stretch of road that would be shut down for World Cup game days is about a fifth of a mile, from South Station, a central commuting hub home to the Red Line, buses, and commuter rail service, to just before the Fort Point Channel. The intersection of Summer and Dorchester Avenue itself would not be shut down.

The move to close it down comes at the recommendation of State Police and the T’s public safety personnel, and local businesses have been apprised of the plan, according to the T’s letter.

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“It is also consistent with steps we collaboratively take during other major events, such as First Night and the Boston Marathon,” said Eng in the letter.


Danny McDonald can be reached at daniel.mcdonald@globe.com. Follow him @Danny__McDonald.





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