NEW YORK – On May 24, Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) released the following statement regarding the arrest of Andrew Abdullah, the individual suspected of murdering an innocent civilian on the Manhattan-bound Q train on Sunday morning. According to reports, Abdullah – a known gang member who has been arrested 19 times over the past decade – was out on bail at the time of Sunday’s shooting.

“This violent gang banger with an extensive criminal history is the latest example of someone who shouldn’t be free to roam our streets, and yet because of the policies put in place by our state’s governor and legislature, an innocent man has been randomly killed,” Rep. Malliotakis said. “This shooting is absolutely tragic, senseless, and sadly, it was 100 percent preventable. The elected officials who continue to support the radical pro-criminal policies that are leading to the murder, assault, robbery, or stabbing of innocent New Yorkers have blood on their hands. How many people will have to become victims of violent crime before state officials take action? By refusing to reverse these dangerous policies, New York’s leaders are doing a tremendous disservice to those they’ve taken an oath to represent and protect.”

A summary of Abdullah’s charges is below:

In 2017, Andrew Abdullah was arrested on an 83-count indictment from the Manhattan District Attorney for a slew of offenses, including eight shootings, slashings, gang assaults, gunpoint robberies, and weapons charges. He was sent to prison for a maximum of three years but was paroled in 2019.

In January 2020, Abdullah was arrested in Manhattan for violating his parole by possessing a loaded gun but was released after posting a $100,000 bail.

In March 2021, Abdullah was charged with domestic assault and endangering a child in Manhattan after punching a woman and slamming her against the wall while she was holding a baby.

In April 2021, Abdullah was charged with stolen property and unauthorized use of a vehicle in Brooklyn.

Malliotakis, Local Elected Officials Oppose New Homeless Shelters, Call for Stricter Vetting of Applicants

On May 25, Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) led her local colleagues in sending a letter to New York City Mayor Eric Adams expressing concerns about the city’s plan to open additional homeless shelters and pushing the city to implement thorough vetting measures for individuals in the existing shelter system following a string of attacks committed by those residing in shelters across New York City. Most recently, on May 10, a homeless man residing in a Staten Island shelter with an extensive criminal history was responsible for shooting an NYPD officer in the Bronx.

“We stand with residents in staunch opposition to the city’s plans to place new shelters in our communities, including three on Staten Island and two in Southern Brooklyn,” the officials said. “Additionally, allowing dangerous criminals to reside within existing facilities is a direct threat to the safety of our city. If we allow this pattern to continue, so will the deadly consequences. These shelters should be put in place to provide necessary assistance and temporary shelter for our city’s most vulnerable populations. We implore you to reevaluate current screening procedures of individuals applying for shelter and implement more stringent criminal history and background checks.”

Recently, there have been several other instances of repeat offenders residing within the NYC shelter system who’ve committed violent acts in the community, including Patrick McDonough, a homeless man residing in a Manhattan shelter who was arrested and charged with the stabbing death of a fellow resident last May. In March, Brandon Elliot, another man living in a Manhattan shelter, was out on parole for killing his mother and ended up violently attacking a woman near Times Square. Last month, a fight broke out between several individuals in a Brooklyn homeless shelter, including a career criminal with a history of smuggling knives into the facility, which led to the brutal stabbing of two other men.

The officials continued: “Though these are just a few cases amid the skyrocketing crime rates throughout our city, they demonstrate a systemic problem within our existing shelter facilities that leads individuals in need of housing assistance to settle for in unsafe conditions…Until a more thorough and fitting screening process is in place, we urge the city to halt its plans that would create more derelict housing situations for those in need of assistance and the surrounding communities.”

The full letter is available online: https://adobe.ly/3N1JVGc.