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Reputed Gang Member Arrested for Shooting Elderly Couple, Prosecutors Say

By Nicholas Rizzi | August 6, 2015 1:00pm
 Joshua Burgos, 27, was charged for the shooting of an elderly couple in New Brighton, prosecutors said.
Joshua Burgos, 27, was charged for the shooting of an elderly couple in New Brighton, prosecutors said.
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NYPD

STATEN ISLAND — A man reputed to be a member of the Bloods has been charged with the May shooting of an elderly Statan Island couple, prosecutors said.

Joshua Burgos, 27, was arraigned on a 17 count indictment Wednesday for shooting Edward Schmidt, 71, and his wife Patricia Vamosy-Schmidt, 63, who were sitting outside their home on Crescent Avenue and Jersey Street, prosecutors said.

On May 3, a group of dirt bikers rode in front of the couple's home and Burgos jumped off one of the vehicles and fired multiple shots from a .40 caliber handgun, hitting Schmidt in the stomach and Vamosy-Schmidt in the left forearm, police said.

The bullet went clean through Schmidt's stomach and he was taken to Richmond University Medical Center in critical but stable condition, police said. Vamosy-Schmidt was also taken to the hospital in stable condition and both were later released, police said.

The shooting appeared to stem from a dispute between two groups, which Schmidt and his wife were not believed to be a part of, police said.

Burgos had been on the lam since the shooting.

He was charged with attempted murder, assault, criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm and reckless endangerment at his arraignment, the Staten Island District Attorney's office said.

Burgos was also hit with two bail-jumping charges for skipping court dates after two arrests. One for a reckless driving and operating without a license arrest and the other for missing a May 20 court date for an arrest in December when he drove his Honda Civic into oncoming traffic to pass a car, causing a school bus to swerve, prosecutors said.

When police stopped Burgos on August 1, he reversed his car and hit a sergeant in the arm with his side mirror — causing him to cut his hand — then crashed into an NYPD van before he was arrested, prosecutors said.

Burgos' bail was set at $750,000 and he's due back in court on Aug. 14, the DA said.

His lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.