The owner of a liquor store in Queens could be sentenced to seven years in prison after he was seen on video shooting an alleged robber who had been expelled from the establishment along with his accomplice, but the head of the winery organization has asked the prosecutors to drop the charges against him.
Identified as Francisco Valerio, 53, the owner of Franja Wine and Liquors in Ridgewood, Queens, he caught the two subjects stealing bottles of alcohol from the store at 7:40 p.m. Monday and kicked them out with the help of one of its workers, reported the Queens District Attorney’s Office.
Audiovisual material from inside the liquor store shows one of the suspects dressed in red trying to put a bottle of alcohol in his jacket.
Outside the establishment, the situation became violent when the suspect identified as Kevin Pullatasi, 20, charged the door of the store. He pushed the door at the employee, who responded by waving his hand before starting a shouting match. The local worker is the owner’s brother.
Pullatasi walked away before dropping her bag and attacking the door once more. The suspect can be seen in the video trying to kick and punch the store employee.
It was when the Hispanic owner of the liquor store appears in the images and can be seen trying to hit Pullatasi with a gun, who fell to the floor after being hit by a bullet. After being shot, the subject crawled against a vehicle before Valerio approached to check on him.
Valerio was charged with second- and third-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
However, the District Attorney’s Office says the Hispanic man has a concealed carry permit and that the gun was hidden in the back of his waistband.
Pullatasi, who was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound, was charged with petit larceny, as was Edwin Poaquiza. Prosecutors say the pair stole two bottles of alcohol, Fox News reported.
“All three defendants in this incident will have to answer to the charges against them,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement.
“After these robbers attacked the store, the stolen merchandise was recovered and the two men were escorted out of the store. At that time, the store owner was physically attacked by one of the men. “Unfortunately, as alleged, that led to a reckless shooting by the store owner on a public street in broad daylight.”
The decision to prosecute Valerio was criticized by Fernando Mateo, founder and representative of United Bodegas of America, who said the suspects had attacked the store at least four times in the past.
“Frequent traveler thieves must be stopped, we have the right to defend ourselves, our businesses and our communities,” said Mateo. “District attorneys should stop prosecuting victims and charging criminals when they commit crimes.”
Mateo indicated that business owners frequently face looting, robberies, assaults and robberies, among other crimes. Additionally, he criticized New York policies commonly perceived as soft on crime, including bail reform, which he demanded be changed.
“Francisco Valerio is a licensed gun owner, has been married for 30 years, has two children, and graduated from Columbia. He is a liquor store owner and a member of the District 83 community. He will lose everything he has worked for if he is prosecuted,” Mateo noted.
“District Attorney Malinda Katz has her future in her hands, she must drop the charges.”
Residents near the establishment made it known that they support Valerio’s actions.
“He had permission to carry it and they were attacking him, and it was an accident. He shouldn’t be in trouble,” said one neighbor.
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