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Ex-boyfriend wanted for murder of NYPD civilian employee dies by suicide

One woman remains hospitalised after Monday shooting

Gino Spocchia
Thursday 12 May 2022 16:15 BST
Pedro Cintron, 55, was named as suspect in a shooting death on Monday
Pedro Cintron, 55, was named as suspect in a shooting death on Monday (NYPD)

A man wanted in connection with the death of a New York Police Department (NYPD) employee has reportedly been found dead.

Pedro Cintron, who was on the run following the shooting of 51-year-old Migdalia Ortega on Monday, was located on Wednesday morning at about 8am.

His body was found between two cars on McKibbin Street in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighbourhood and, as ABC7 reported, Mr Cintron appeared to have died of a self-inflicted wound.

An NYPD spokesperson told the New York Post he was rushed to the Kings County Hospital Center, where he was pronounced dead. A medical examiner is set to rule on the cause of death, the NYPD told The Independent.

Mr Cintron had been earlier named as a suspect in the shooting death of Ms Ortega, an NYPD civilian employee of 11 years who was working with the tenchology bureau.

She was shot in the head during a domestic incident at her address in Ridgewood, Queens, on Monday, during which a neighbour was wounded.

The other victim, believed to be Ms Ortega’s neighbour, was also shot during the altercation after she attempted to intervene in an apparent fight between the pair.

“During the dispute, the 48-year-old neighbour went to check on the third-floor occupant,” said NYPD Deputy Chief Julie Morrill to reporters on Monday afternoon.

“She was in shock and fled back to her apartment. The male suspect followed her and continued shooting.”

The woman was taken to Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, where she remains in a critical condition.

Ms Ortega, who was pronounced dead at the same hospital later on Monday, was reportedly a former boyfriend of the 55-year-old suspect, a police source told the New York Daily News,although it remains unconfirmed.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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