A College Point man was sentenced Tuesday in Queens Supreme Court to 18 years in prison for firing an assault weapon at NYPD officers who were responding to a 911 call from his girlfriend and mother in 2020.
Rodolfo Montero, 29, of 125th Street, pleaded guilty last month to attempted murder in the second degree.
“The officers risked their lives,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “Thankfully, they were not injured.”
According to the charges, on the morning of Sept. 13, 2020, Montero and his 28-year-old girlfriend, and mother of his 1-year-old child, argued in their home on 125th Street in College Point. As the argument escalated into violence, Montero put his hands on her neck and choked her. Later that day, Montero punched his girlfriend in front of their child. When Montero’s mother, who was in the home, tried to intervene, he slapped her in the face.
Montero pulled out an assault rifle and threatened his girlfriend’s life. She and Montero’s mother fled the home with the child and called police.
Police from the 109th Precinct in Flushing responded to the 911 call at approximately 4:30 p.m. As two uniformed officers got out of their patrol car, Montero opened fire, shooting multiple rounds from the assault rifle at them from a second-floor window of the home. The shots hit a car parked behind the police vehicle.
The officers took cover and Montero fired additional rounds from a first-floor window before exiting the home and surrendering. The NYPD later recovered a loaded AK 47 assault rifle and other ballistic evidence was recovered from the residence.
Queens Supreme Court Justice Stephanie Zaro sentenced Montero to 18 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision. Katz had a message for victims of domestic violence.
“The women in the defendant’s life were also clearly victims,” Katz said. “I urge those being impacted by domestic violence to contact us before it’s too late. If you need safety planning services, or help in securing an order of protection or shelter placement, call our 24-hour DV Helpline, at 7-8-286-4410.”