Additional Coverage:
- ‘Cold-blooded’ killing of migrant prompts hate crime charges against NYC parks worker (newsbreak.com)
New York City park employee Elijah Mitchell has been charged with murder and hate crimes following the deadly shooting of Arturo Jose Rodriguez Marcano, a Venezuelan migrant, in July. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez described the incident as a “premeditated and cold-blooded” act fueled by hatred toward immigrants.
The 23-year-old, who had been working temporarily for the NYC Parks Department, faces multiple charges, including second-degree murder as a hate crime and criminal weapon possession. The indictment was officially announced on Wednesday.
According to authorities, the confrontation escalated when Mitchell allegedly shot Marcano in Brooklyn’s Steuben Playground after previously threatening him with a gun during an earlier dispute. The police investigation revealed the deadly altercation took place late at night on July 21.
Following his arrest on July 29, Mitchell denied committing the murder during an interrogation session where he reportedly waived his Miranda rights. He suggested instead that he was merely in the park to use the bathroom when the shooting occurred.
Mitchell also refuted claims of displaying a weapon during the earlier argument with Marcano, asserting that tensions arose not because of personal prejudice but due to frustrations related to clearing a homeless encampment as part of his job duties. He maintained that he held no negative feelings toward migrants.
Mitchell, currently held on a $2.5 million bond and facing a potential life sentence if convicted, pleaded not guilty at the Brooklyn Supreme Court, where a public defender has been assigned to represent him.
DA Gonzalez expressed a strong commitment to prosecuting this case vigorously, highlighting the severe implications of hate-driven violence. He also noted that such crimes against immigrants are particularly intolerable in Brooklyn.