Duane Costa was sentenced to 25 years to life for opening fire on four police officers in the county Nassau of Long Island (NY).
Costa, a Uniondale resident of 40 years, was sentenced Thursday for four counts of attempted murder, and criminal possession and use of a firearm for the incident that occurred in 550.
He had been found guilty last 16 December by Judge Patricia Harrington, after opting for a trial without a jury. The shooting occurred shortly before 1 a.m. on October 28 2018, after Costa escaped from a traffic stop.
Costa was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped for turning without signaling, and the officers noticed the smell of alcohol and observed that Costa was not wearing a seat belt and was adjusting an object around his waist. They ordered the driver and Costa to get out of the car, but he chose to run away.
As he fled, he pulled out a pistol and shot at the officers who were chasing him. “Duane Costa fired at least two rounds directly at officers’ heads from less than 10 feet while shooting. were chasing through the streets of Hempstead, and he continued to fire as more officers joined the chase,” District Attorney Anne Donnelly said.
Bullets narrowly missed the four officers as they chased Costa , who was eventually arrested, recalled ABC News. Costa denied any wrongdoing before being sentenced on Thursday and also referred to the recent fatal shooting of two Latino NYPD agents in Harlem.
“The two officers who were murdered are stirring in their graves right now. It’s a lie just to get publicity,” Costa said, unleashing the anger of those present.
Prosecutor Donnelly said it was a shame that Costa was allowed to invoke the names in the courtroom of recently killed officers. “He shouldn’t be talking about the cops after trying to kill four of our cops,” he said.
Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder added that he doesn’t want Costa to target or talk to the detectives who saved your life when you shot them at 2018.