A violent ex-con accused of shooting an NYPD cop while on parole during a tense four-hour standoff flashed a sinister smirk as he was hit with an attempted murder indictment in Manhattan Supreme Court on Monday.
Edwin Rivera, 34, whose rap sheet includes drug and gun busts dating to 2009, was arraigned on a nine-count indictment for the wild Feb. 18 shootout that sent him and one of New York’s Finest to the hospital, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said.
In court, Rivera, sporting a beard and dreads, smirked as he looked around the courtroom for supporters before he was ordered held without bail.
Edwin Rivera was hit with an indictment Monday charging him with attempted murder for allegedly shooting a cop. Steven Hirsch
Rivera was ordered held without bail. Steven Hirsch“We have absolutely no tolerance for any conduct that harms police officers, and the charges in this indictment reflect the seriousness with which we are treating this incident,” DA Alvin Bragg said.
“Their jobs are incredibly dangerous, and I hope the detective who was shot will continue to recover from his injuries,” Bragg added in a statement.
According to authorities, cops showed up at Rivera’s Lower East Side apartment around 5 a.m. to execute a search warrant — when several shots were fired through the door, forcing police to retreat.
Police, who tried to negotiate with Rivera while he was barricaded but he cut off communication, so police attempted to get into the apartment shortly after 8 a.m. when more shots were fired.
Accused cop shooter Edwin Rivera being taken from the scene of a four-hour standoff that wounded a cop on Feb. 18. Robert MeceaWith the cop wounded, the other officers returned fire and wounded Rivera, who was taken into custody.
Both suffered non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
“The shooting of a uniformed police officer is an attack on our entire city,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a statement Monday. “This indictment serves as a stark reminder of the dangers that NYPD police officers face every day while working to keep New York City safe.”
An NYPD cop leaves the scene of a four-hour Lower East Side standoff after being wounded, allegedly by Edwin Rivera. Robert MeceaRivera is no stranger to the criminal justice system, according to police and records.
His most recent arrest came in November, when he allegedly scuffled with cops after being caught with a stolen electric scooter outside his apartment — but he remained free without bail because the resisting arrest charge he was hit with wasn’t eligible for bail under New York’s lax criminal reforms.
After Rivera’s arrest, Tisch said he has been on parole four times during his criminal career — and was actually still on parole when he allegedly shot the cop.
