Illegal alien found guilty of cop shootings

From the Queens Gazette:

A Queens jury last week convicted an illegal immigrant who shot two police officers and tried to shoot a third officer inside a Queensbridge subway station three years ago.

Raul Nunez, 35, a native of the Dominican Republic, was found guilty of two counts of attempted manslaughter, one count of assault and criminal possession of a weapon for an attack that forced one officer to retire at age 28 due to the severity of his injuries.

Trial testimony revealed that officers spotted Nunez at about 5:10 p.m. on Oct. 21, 2008 entering a turnstile at the 21st Street and 41st Avenue station in Long Island City using a student MetroCard.

NYPD Officers Jason Maass and Shane Farina stopped Nunez on the station platform and asked to see the MetroCard and his identification. When Nunez replied that he did not have identification, the officers cuffed his left wrist, Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said. Before the cops could cuff his right wrist, Nunez fought back and his actions forced Nunez and the two officers to tumble to the platform, where Nunez grabbed Maass’ 9mm handgun and shot both officers.

Law enforcement sources said Nunez now has no reason to fear he will be forced to leave the U.S. He faces more than 50 years in a New York state prison when he is sentenced on April 7.