A 23-year-old man was charged with murder for allegedly shooting a man in the back in Corona last month, District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Tuesday.
Joshua Petillo was arraigned on Tuesday, July 28, in front of Queens Criminal Court Judge Jerry Iannece and was charged with murder in the second degree and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, Katz said.
Petillo, who is from Corona and being held without bail, faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the charges.
On Tuesday, June 30, around 11:30 p.m., Petillo allegedly fired a gun at Dante Santillian, 21, after chasing him down Warren Street with a second suspect, who has not been arrested, the DA said. Santillian, who was shot once in the back, ducked inside a restaurant on 40th Road, where a friend picked him up and drove him to a local hospital, according to the authorities.
Santillan later died in the hospital from the gun shot wound.
“I am committed to ending the streak of gun violence that has recently plagued too many of our neighborhood streets,” Katz said. “This defendant is accused of firing one shot into the back of a 21-year-old man late last month. This kind of vicious gunplay and disregard for human life will not be tolerated in Queens County.”
Petillo is scheduled to return to court on Aug. 27.
