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An off-duty U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer was shot during an attempted robbery in a Manhattan park on Saturday (July 19). According to New York City police and federal officials, the 42-year-old officer, who was not in uniform, was sitting with a woman beneath the George Washington Bridge when two men approached on a moped just before midnight. The officer, realizing he was being robbed, drew his service weapon, leading to an exchange of gunfire. The officer was shot in the face and arm but is in stable condition and expected to survive.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that the officer was not targeted due to his employment. A suspect, Miguel Mora, a 21-year-old undocumented immigrant with a criminal history, was taken into custody after arriving at a Bronx hospital with gunshot wounds. Mora's injuries matched those seen on surveillance footage of the incident. He has prior arrests for domestic violence in New York and is wanted for robbery and felony assault in New York, as well as a stolen weapons case in Massachusetts. The search for Mora's alleged accomplice is ongoing.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams visited the officer in the hospital on Sunday (July 20), praising his bravery and training. Customs and Border Protection Director of Field Operations Frank Russo commended the officer's actions, saying, "Our officer is a hero. He did exactly what we ask of all of our officers under the circumstances." President Donald Trump commented on the incident, using it to criticize Democrats' handling of border security.