1 killed, 3 injured in shooting at Copiague deli, Suffolk police say
A Copiague man is facing murder and attempted murder charges in connection with a fatal shooting at a Copiague deli Saturday night, Suffolk County police said.
A man was killed and three others wounded during the 6:10 p.m. shooting at La Vaquita Corp. deli on Great Neck Road near Corsica Street, police said.
Dionicio Calderon-Oseguera, 62, has been charged with one count of second-degree murder and three counts of second-degree attempted murder, Suffolk police said. He was expected to be held overnight at the First Precinct and is scheduled for arraignment at First District Court in Central Islip Monday.
Police identified Manuel Cruz-Hernandez, 47, of Copiague as the man they said died at the scene.
The three other victims, identified Sunday morning by police as deli owner Bolivar Rodriguez, 61, of Amityville; Juan Ramone Avilla Roque, 30, of North Amityville and Daniel E. Acosta, 40, of Copiague were taken to hospitals with serious injuries, police said.
The bullets were not intended for Rodriguez, said Det. Lt. Kevin Beyrer, commanding officer of Suffolk's Homicide Squad.
"We believe he was an innocent victim," Beyrer said at the scene.
Bolivar Rodriguez owner of La Vaquita Deli on Great Neck Road in Copiague who is in critical condition on Dec.13, 2020 Credit: Provided by son Oscar Rodriquez
Rodriguez' son, Oscar Rodriguez, speaking Sunday outside the deli his father has owned for 27 years, said the injured man was in critical condition.
He described his father as a spiritual man who is well-known and liked in the community.
"He would give you the shirt off his back," Oscar Rodriguez said. "If you didn’t have food he would come give you a plate for free if you needed it. Anything you needed he would give it you."
Police ask anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous.
Oscar and Bolivar Rodriguez Jr., sons of Bolivar Rodriguez, the longtime owner of the La Vaquita Corp. Deli on Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020. Their father Bolivar, was one of four people shot inside the deli yesterday, killing one. Bolivar was critically wounded. Credit: James Carbone
With James Carbone
'I'm going to try to avoid it' A trip to the emergency room in a Long Island hospital now averages nearly 4 hours, data shows. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.
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