Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the guilty plea of WALDEMAR ALVERIO, 38, for committing two shootings in Tompkins Square Park within five days, seriously injuring two people. ALVERIO pleaded guilty in New York State Supreme Court to three counts of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree on January 13, 2025. He is expected to be sentenced on February 3, 2025, to a promised term of 13 years in state prison.
“Waldemar Alverio was held accountable for committing two broad-daylight shootings in Tompkins Square Park, just days apart,” said District Attorney Bragg. “These senseless and reckless shootings left two victims significantly injured and put the safety of many New Yorkers at risk. Combatting gun violence is crucial to achieving lasting public safety and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to remove illegal firearms off our city’s streets and drive down shootings.”
According to court documents and statements made on the record in court, and as admitted in the defendant’s guilty plea, on March 16, 2024, in Tompkins Square Park at approximately 12:45 p.m., two men chased, punched, and kicked ALVERIO before running away. As they ran off, ALVERIO unzipped his bag and pulled out a firearm, firing at them five times.
ALVERIO struck one of them in the buttocks, fracturing his pelvis and lodging a bullet in his hip. ALVERIO also shot a bystander, a 53-year-old tourist, fracturing her right hip, which had to be surgically replaced.
ALVERIO exited the park at East 9th Street and Avenue A and rode his bicycle towards 1st Avenue.
Five days later, on March 21, 2024, ALVERIO returned to Tompkins Square Park at approximately 12:05 p.m., approached a group in the park, and shot at them five times. While ALVERIO did not strike any victims that day, one bullet smashed through a window into a bedroom in an apartment building across the street from the park, and another bullet smashed through a window and lodged in a stairwell in a second building across from the park.
ALVERIO was apprehended on the Lower East Side on March 26, 2024, by police officers who recognized him from a wanted flyer.
Assistant D.A. Joseph Abrams (Trial Bureau 70) is handling the prosecution of this case, under the supervision of Assistant D.A. David Hammer (Chief of Trial Bureau 70) and Executive Assistant D.A. Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division). Former Paralegal Michelle Sheinker provided valuable assistance in this case.
D.A. Bragg thanked the NYPD, particularly Detectives Christopher McNeely, Danielle Venuto and Vladislav Abramov of the 9th Precinct Detective Squad, and Detective Joseph Cohen of the Manhattan South Homicide Squad.
Defendant Information:
WALDEMAR ALVERIO
Convicted:
- Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, a class B felony, three counts
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