Man sentenced to 15 years in prison for back-to-back shootings in Tompkins Square Park
Tompkins Square Park double shooting
Police are looking for suspects after they say gunfire erupted during an argument inside Tompkins Square Park in the East Village on Saturday afternoon.
NEW YORK - Waldemar Alverio, 38, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to two shootings in Tompkins Square Park that occurred just five days apart in March 2024.
What we know:
Police say that on March 16, 2024, Alverio was attacked by two men in Tompkins Square Park. As they ran away, he unzipped a bag, pulled out a firearm, and fired five shots. One man was struck in the buttocks, fracturing his pelvis. A bystander, a 53-year-old tourist, was also shot and required hip replacement surgery.
Then, on March 21, Alverio returned to the park and again fired five rounds at a group. No one was hit, but two bullets broke through the windows of two separate apartment buildings, one entering a stairwell and the other a bedroom.
More gunfire at Tompkins Square Park
Gunshots rung out once again at Tompkins Square Park on Thursday, but thankfully, no-one was injured. This is the second shooting at the park in roughly a week. FOX 5 NY's Antwan Lewis has the story.
Alverio was arrested on the Lower East Side on March 26 after being recognized by police officers from a wanted flyer.
He ped guilty in January to three counts of attempted murder in the second degree.
What they're saying:
"Waldemar Alverio is facing accountability for a pair of shootings in Tompkins Square Park that injured two and threatened the safety of many other bystanders," said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in a statement. "Parks must be safe havens for Manhattanites to gather and spend time with their friends and family, and nobody should have to worry they will be struck by a bullet in the middle of the day."
"Combatting gun violence remains my top priority and we will continue to prosecute those who use illegal firearms, while also making investments in our communities to address the root causes of shootings," Bragg added.