Matthew Rodriguez, of Levittown, charged in subway shooting that left teen unable to walk, Queens DA says

A Long Island teenager is facing up to 25 years in prison for a subway shooting in April that left a 15-year-old unable to walk, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz’s Office.

Matthew Rodriguez, 19, of Levittown, allegedly shot a 15-year-old on the Manhattan-bound A train on April 27. Prosecutors said the victim and a 16-year-old co-defendant got into a fight before Rodruguez shot the 15-year-old twice: once in the back and, after the victim fell to the ground, again in the neck.

Rodriguez then went on the run, but was arrested in Virginia on May 21. The 19-year-old was taken back to Queens on Thursday night and indicted on Friday on charges including attempted murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon.

“Rodriguez was under no immediate threat, nor was he directly engaged in the physical altercation when he fired two shots into the victim at point-blank range,” Katz wrote in her office’s new release. “A 15-year-old child is now fighting for his life in a hospital bed.”

Newsday was unable to contact a representative of Rodriguez for comment. The state’s online court system did not list an attorney for Rodriguez as of Sunday morning.

The April shooting happened about 6 p.m. on the subway between 105th Street and 80th Street. Prosecutors said the victim confronted Rodriguez and his co-defendant — who prosecutors have not publicly named — about another shooting that occurred in February in East Rockaway, where the 16-year-old co-defendant lives.

In February, the victim also was  allegedly shot by the 16-year-old co-defendant, but did not cooperate with investigators at the time. There are pending charges against the 16-year-old co-defendant for that shooting too, according to prosecutors.

During the most recent shooting, the victim and co-defendant got into a fight after the initial confrontation. It lasted for roughly six minutes before a bystander tried to break them apart, which is when Rodriguez allegedly pulled a handgun out of his co-defendant’s ankle holster and fired at the victim.

“The young victim was transported to a local hospital where he is still undergoing treatment for his injuries and is confined to a hospital bed, unable to walk,” the DA’s Office wrote.

Both Rodriguez and his co-defendant “immediately fled the scene” after the shooting, according to prosecutors.

The 16-year-old co-defendant was arrested two days after the shooting, on April 29, and charged with criminal possession of a weapon. He is due back in court on June 12 and faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

Rodriguez was remanded after appearing in court on Friday. He is due back in court on June 23.

By Sam Kmack

sam.kmack@newsday.com

Sam Kmack covers the Town of Islip for Newsday. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California and previously worked as a city watchdog reporter in the Phoenix metro area, as well as an investigative journalist at the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting.