Two arrested in shooting of off-duty CBP officer in New York City

NEW YORK CITY (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Two suspects have been arrested in connection to the shooting of an off-duty Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at a New York City park over the weekend.

The apparent botched robbery attempt and shooting happened at Fort Washington Park in the Washington Heights neighborhood.

Security camera video, released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), shows two suspects ambushing and shooting the officer late Saturday night.

Authorities say the officer, who was not in uniform, was sitting in the park beneath the George Washington Bridge when he was approached by a man riding on the back of a moped, who then shot him in the face and arm.

The off-duty officer returned fire as the moped driver and alleged shooter fled the scene.

While one of the suspects was taken into custody Sunday, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced the arrest of a second suspect during a press conference Monday.

"He was arrested, he was charged with grand larceny and also assault. The State of Massachusetts has an active warrant out for him for armed robbery with a firearm. He also has many other charges against him, such as kidnapping and witness intimidation. There's absolutely zero reason that someone who has scam of the earth like this should be running loose on the streets of New York City."

Kristi Noem, DHS Secretary

During the press conference, Secretary Noem blamed the attack on New York's "sanctuary city" policies.

"How many more lives will it take? How many more people have to be hurt and victimized before we have public safety be a number one priority in some of our largest cities?" Noem spoke.

The officer, a 42-year-old man, is in stable condition and expected to survive.

According to Noem, both suspects in the case entered the country illegally during the Biden Administration.

One of the suspects, 21 year old Miguel Mora, has two previous arrests for domestic violence in New York, and an active warrant after he did not show up in court in one of those cases.

Mora was also wanted by the New York Police Department in connection with an alleged robbery in December and an alleged stabbing in January, she said.

According to a post on X, Mora was apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol in San Luis, Arizona back in April of 2023.