A new video shows that an unwary gunman was caught red-handed when he displayed his loaded handgun inside a Bronx deli adjacent to two plainclothes NYPD officers.
The Post has obtained video of the diminutive hooded suspect, 28-year-old Martin Mateo, brandishing the murder weapon.
At 4:40 a.m. on February 10, a man was seen brandishing a.22 caliber revolver inside a bodega on Southern Boulevard, near East 149th Street.
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Both plainclothes officers stand beside the suspect, one sipping coffee and the other staring at his phone.
But as the shooter walks towards the exit, the police rush him, forcing him against the glass door and placing his hands behind his back.
It then shows a cop putting the guy in handcuffs while shoving him against the counter, where a worker is attending to a client.
A criminal complaint states that Mateo had three rounds of live ammo in the cylinder of the revolver he was holding. Each bullet has a metal casing and is tipped with a metal projectile.
According to the court papers, Mateo testified that he did indeed find the firearm, but that he never used it.
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He was quoted as saying, “Yes, I had the gun.” I came across it four days ago and have kept it safe ever since. In other words, I didn’t buy it or utilize it.
The criminal complaint states that Mateo was arraigned on accusations of weapon possession, reckless endangerment, and ammunition possession.
His bail was set at $20,000 cash in addition to either a $100,000 bond or a $100,000 partially secured bond at 10%.
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His next scheduled court appearance is March 7.
Police said Mateo has three outstanding warrants: one from February 2018 on a federal conspiracy allegation, and one each from April 2017 and November 2011 for assault.