Park worker charged with murder of migrants at Brooklyn playground

A 23-year-old Queens man has been charged with murder as a hate crime in the fatal shooting of a Venezuelan migrant living at a Bed-Stuy playground on Wednesday.

The suspect, Elijah Mitchell, is alleged to have shot the victim, Arturo Jose Rodriguez Marcano, after an argument three days earlier in the same park where Mitchell worked as a temporary employee for the park administration.

District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced the charges on Wednesday, saying the killing was premeditated and motivated by hostility toward newcomers to the city.

“This defendant allegedly came armed to the location of the victim to settle a score,” Gonzalez said. “This premeditated and cold-blooded murder is outrageous on many levels, not least because the alleged motive was hatred toward newcomers to our city.”

The indictment charges Mitchell with second-degree murder as a hate crime, second-degree murder, illegal possession of a weapon and menacing as a hate crime. If convicted, Mitchell faces up to 25 years to life in prison. Bail was set at $350,000 cash or $2.5 million surety bond, and Mitchell is due back in court on October 23, 2024.

The incident occurred on July 21, 2024, at the Steuben Playground, where 30-year-old Rodriguez Marcano was living in a tent with other migrants.

According to the investigation, Mitchell had previously confronted the victim on July 18, allegedly displaying a gun after becoming angry about migrants remaining in the park. Three days later, Mitchell allegedly returned to the playground and shot Rodriguez Marcano once in the chest. The victim was pronounced dead shortly afterward at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital.

Rodriguez Marcano, who came to New York from Venezuela, had reportedly been living at the playground for about two months after his time at a nearby shelter expired. Affectionately called “Ozuna” by other migrants because of his love of singing, Rodriguez Marcano was remembered by friends as a charismatic and cheerful person.

Mitchell, who worked as a seasonal employee for the parks department, was fired after his arrest. In an interview with police, he admitted to being in the park the night of the shooting but denied involvement in the crime. He claimed he had no problem with migrants, stating: “I go to work, I mow grass, and that's all. No, I don't have a problem with the migrants.” He added that his complaints were against the government, not the migrants themselves.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Robert Schwartz with assistance from the Hate Crimes Bureau and under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Leila Rosini, Chief of the Homicide Bureau.