A Rockaway Beach man could spend the rest of his life in prison for shooting at cops at the Ocean Bay Apartments in Edgemere during the early morning of Saturday, July 27, following a night of heavy drinking.
Joel Kelly, 60, of Beach 92nd Street, was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court Wednesday night on a criminal complaint charging him with first degree attempted murder and other crimes for shooting at NYPD officers out of the 101st Precinct in Far Rockaway, who were chasing him through the housing complex after responding to a 911 call of shots fired at the Beach 41st Houses. A 9 mm ghost gun pistol was recovered at the scene after Kelly was taken into custody.
“This defendant allegedly fired at police officers and miraculously no one was struck,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.
According to the charges, just after midnight on July 27, Kelly visited his sister’s apartment on Beach 40th Street at the Beach 41st Street Houses. Shortly thereafter, she ordered him to leave. At approximately 12:07 a.m., Kelly was seen outside his sister’s apartment holding what appeared to be a firearm. He turned around and fired one shot, continued to walk and turned around again to fire a second shot.
An NYPD sergeant and police officer from the 101st Precinct responded to the area after a report was made of shots fired at the complex. Kelly was spotted walking north on Beach 51st Street. The officers pursued Kelly, who turned around in front of 444 Beach 54th St. and raised his arm while holding the handgun and fired in the direction of the cops. They were not hit. Kelly then fled and threw the ghost gun to the ground, which caused the magazine to dislodge from the weapon. He was then apprehended by other responding officers from the 101st Precinct. The gun was recovered at the scene. Two 9 mm spent shell casings, one live round and three bullet fragments were also recovered in the hallway outside of Kelly’s sister’s apartment.
Kelly was taken to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition due to his extreme intoxication, according to a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation, and he was later booked at the 101st Precinct. The two cops who first encountered Kelly were transported to the hospital for treatment for tinnitus, commonly known as ringing in the ears as a result of the shooting.
“Attempts on the lives of police officers, who put themselves in harm’s way to protect New Yorkers, have no place in our city,” Katz said.
In addition to attempted murder, Kelly was also charged with attempted assault, criminal possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment and other crimes.
“We will remain steadfast in our efforts to take illegal firearms, especially ghost guns, out of our communities,” Katz said.
Judge Quynda Santacroce remanded Kelly into custody without bail. If convicted of the top count, Kelly faces a maximum sentence of up to 40 years to life in prison.
