32-year-old Edwin Rivera.
Photo by Dean Moses
The two brothers who allegedly ended up shooting an off-duty cop after a road rage incident in Queens were hit with a slew of charges on Thursday, police said.
Edwin Rivera, 32, and Shawn Rivera, 27, of Queens were held at the 108th Precinct overnight after the duo allegedly attempted to disarm the cop when he pulled a gun on them after the younger brother smashed his car window.
The officer was traveling in his personal vehicle along Queens Boulevard at around 12:45 p.m. when Edwin, the purported driver of a white minivan, allegedly blocked the roadway and got into a verbal argument with the officer. Although the officer managed to continue on his way, Shawn apparently smashed the cop’s window on 70th Street.
“A second male, who was on foot, ran up behind the MOS’s vehicle and smashed his window,” Chief Maddrey said. “At that point, the off-duty MOS exited his vehicle, identified himself as a police officer and drew his firearm on the two males and announced that the male was under arrest for breaking his window.”
All three men apparently wrestled over the gun, which let off two shots, hitting Edwin in the hand while the second shot hit the cop in the leg. The officer was treated at Elmhurst Hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.
Both brothers were taken out of the 108th Precinct on Thursday morning by officers and detectives to face arraignment and despite being peppered with questions the pair remained silent.
Edwin is charged with assault, obstructing government administration and two counts of attempted criminal possession of a weapon. Shawn is facing four counts of assault, strangulation, resisting arrest, obstruction of government administration, criminal mischief, and two counts of attempted criminal possession of a weapon.
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