Suspect Identified in Shooting of Off-Duty Border Patrol Agent in NYC Park
Gunfire exchanged during attempted robbery; suspect in custody with injuries.
By USA NEWS TODAY| July 20, 2025 | Updated 7:13 PM ET
An off-duty U.S. Border Patrol agent was shot late Saturday night during a suspected robbery attempt in Fort Washington Park, located in New York City's Washington Heights neighborhood. The incident unfolded just before midnight, beneath the George Washington Bridge.
What Happened
According to the NYPD, the agent, 42, was sitting with a woman near the Hudson River when two individuals approached on a scooter. Security footage shows the passenger, now identified as 21-year-old Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, getting off the scooter and confronting the pair.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Mora Nunez pulled a gun in an apparent robbery attempt. The off-duty agent, armed with his service weapon, returned fire. Both were injured in the exchange.
The agent was shot in the face and arm and was rushed to Harlem Hospital, where he is expected to survive. Mora Nunez later walked into Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx at 12:18 a.m. with gunshot wounds to the groin and leg. He underwent surgery and remains in custody.
Suspect Background
Authorities say Mora Nunez is a Dominican national who crossed illegally into the U.S. via Arizona in 2023. He has a lengthy criminal record, including:
- Two prior arrests for domestic violence in New York
- An active warrant for failing to appear in court
- Suspected involvement in a December 2024 robbery and a January 2025 stabbing, both in the Bronx
- Wanted in Massachusetts for stealing firearms from a pawn shop in February 2025
Mayor Eric Adams condemned the violence at a Sunday press briefing, saying:
“In less than a year, this individual has brought chaos and violence to our city. Once charged, attempted murder will be added to his growing rap sheet.”
Commissioner Tisch emphasized that there is no evidence the agent was targeted due to his job with Border Patrol.
The accomplice seen on the scooter fled and remains at large. Law enforcement is continuing their search.
National Context
This incident follows another recent attack on Border Patrol personnel. On July 7 in McAllen, Texas, 27-year-old Ryan Louis Mosqueda opened fire at a federal Border Patrol facility. He was killed during the confrontation. That shooting left two officers and a Border Patrol employee injured.
Moving Forward
Mayor Adams visited the wounded agent at the hospital and confirmed he is expected to make a full recovery.
Law enforcement agencies, including DHS and NYPD, continue their investigations into both the shooting and the background of the suspect.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned for update
