The parolee accused of shooting an NYPD detective while issuing a warrant on the Lower East Side last month was arraigned on an attempted murder indictment Monday.
Edwin Rivera, 35, hobbled into a Manhattan Criminal Court on March 3 using a cane as support. Rivera had recently been released from the hospital after suffering several gunshot wounds after he shot a detective.
According to police sources, cops attempted to enter an apartment at 384 Madison St., inside the Vladeck Houses public housing complex, at around 5 a.m. on Feb. 18 to serve a gun warrant when Rivera allegedly opened fire. The officers were immediately forced to retreat as the suspect barricaded himself inside using a couch to block the doorway.
Court records alleged that Rivera tossed a bag of narcotics out of his window to the street below in an attempt to deceive police.
“The perpetrator fired five to six rounds at our cops, one struck our officer’s ballistic shield, and our officers exercised restraint,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said on Feb. 5.
For over three hours, negotiators engaged with Rivera in an attempt to negotiate his surrender. At approximately 8:18 a.m., police re-entered the apartment and Rivera allegedly again opened fire. This time he struck a detective in the shoulder. Another cop returned fire, hitting Rivera in the leg and torso.
The injured detective managed to walk away but was hospitalized for the day at Bellevue Hospital. Rivera was likewise hospitalized with his injuries.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said that “the charges in this indictment reflect the seriousness with which we are treating this incident.”
“We have absolutely no tolerance for any conduct that harms police officers,” Bragg said. “I want to thank the members of the NYPD who put on their uniforms every day to selflessly protect New Yorkers. Their jobs are incredibly dangerous, and I hope the detective who was shot will continue to recover from his injuries. I thank him, and everyone else on the scene that day, for their bravery and commitment to keeping everyone safe.”
Rivera looked up from sunken eyes and pled not guilty to two counts of first- and second-degree attempted murder; two counts of first-degree attempted assault; second-degree criminal possession of a weapon; and criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Judge Laura Ward ordered for him to be held in custody indefinitely without bail.
“This is why I don’t like signing search warrants; I get nervous every time I send officers out,” Judge Ward added.
Police say that Rivera has been arrested multiple times for gun possession and narcotics and has been on parole four times. He was last arrested on Nov. 6, 2024, for criminal possession of stolen property and resisting arrest.
“The shooting of a uniformed police officer is an attack on our entire city,” Tisch said Monday. “This indictment serves as a stark reminder of the dangers that NYPD police officers face every day while working to keep New York City safe. As their noble work continues, we remain committed to closely collaborating with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office to ensure that those who endanger the security of New Yorkers are held fully accountable.”
Detective Endowment Association President Scott Munro also fumed that Rivera was on the street at the time of the shooting.
“When a violent, repeat offender is let out onto our streets and shoots a brave Detective, there’s no question New York’s criminal justice system is in crisis,” Munro said. “If this ex-con was never let out on parole, our Detective wouldn’t be recovering from a gunshot wound — and all New Yorkers would have been safer for it. It’s well past the time for change, and our union is urging politicians at every level to speak out.”
