By Luis De Jesus
Feb 27, 2024, 10:45 PM EST
Venezuelan migrant Jesús Alejandro Rivas Figueroa, accused of a shooting in Times Square, pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted second-degree murder and other related crimes, reported The New York Post. The hearing in Manhattan Supreme Court was marked by the statement of the 15-year-old teenager and the words of his lawyer Adrienne Doreen Edward.
“This case has received a lot of media attention,” Edward stated, referring to the February 8 incident in which Rivas Figueroa allegedly shot a tourist and police officers. “Let this case play out in the courtroom, not on social media or in the press, where it has taken on its own identity,” he asked.
The defense attorney’s request comes amid intense media coverage of the case, which has fueled debate about public safety and the treatment of migrants in the United States. She emphasized the importance of a fair and just trial, based on concrete evidence and proper legal processes.
Authorities described the young man as “armed and dangerous” during the ensuing chase, which culminated in his capture at a Yonkers home less than 24 hours after the incident.
The hearing also revealed details about Rivas Figueroa’s arrest and his attempt to flee the city with his mother after the shooting, according to the New York media. The father of the Venezuelan teenager, Juan Carlos Gonzales, was present at the hearing, although he refrained from commenting on the guilt or innocence of his son.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg reiterated the seriousness of the shooting, which occurred in the heart of Times Square, one of the city’s busiest areas. “He is accused of allegedly recklessly firing his gun inside a store, injuring a tourist, and then pointing the gun at a police officer,” Bragg said in a statement.
Mother of Venezuelan migrant is detained
The mother of the Venezuelan teenager was detained by Immigration agents the same day that the authorities captured the alleged gunman, according to the accused’s aunt. The New York Post. She stressed that her sister is not responsible for her son’s actions and that she deserves the opportunity to fight for him.
“We want freedom for her because what her son has done is not her fault. And that they will give him a chance to fight for her son. “No matter what happens, that is still her son,” she said.
On February 10, a judge ordered Jesús Alejandro Rivas Figueroa held without bail in a juvenile detention center while legal proceedings related to the Times Square shooting continue. The detention of the mother by Immigration agents added a new twist to this case, which has captured public attention and generated debates about security.
Keep reading:
• Immigration officers detained the mother of the Venezuelan teenager who shot in Times Square
• Migrant asks Venezuelans to pay bail for a teenager imprisoned in New York: “He made a mistake”
• Venezuelan denies stealing phones in New York after a video goes viral: “They want to harm my life”