Off-duty NYPD officer charged with menacing after firing shots near ex-girlfriend, friend in Patchogue, authorities say

An off-duty NYPD officer was charged with menacing after firing two shots into the air following an argument with his ex-girlfriend and her friend early Friday in Patchogue, authorities said.

Miguel Torres, 26, of Coram, went to his ex-girlfriend’s home on West Avenue around 1:45 a.m. where he argued with the woman and her friend, Suffolk police said. He sped away in his 2019 Honda CRV and used a handgun to fire the shots from his car near the two people, police said.

Suffolk County police later arrested him on two counts of second-degree menacing and one count of prohibited use of a weapon, all misdemeanors.

NYPD records show Torres has been an NYPD officer since 2020 and has been assigned to the 23rd Precinct in Harlem for the past year. He has no prior disciplinary record.

NYPD officials did not comment on whether he has been suspended or remains on duty.

Torres was arraigned Friday in Suffolk County First District Court in Central Islip where he pleaded not guilty and was placed on supervised release, according to the Suffolk County district attorney’s office.

He is required to report to probation once a week and an order of protection was issued for the two victims, prosecutors said.

Torres also was ordered to surrender any firearms. His attorney Craig Hayes, of Roslyn Heights, could not be reached for comment.

He is scheduled to return to court Aug. 8.

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.