In the quiet neighborhood of Ridgewood, Queens, a tragedy unfolded on the morning of May 9, 2022, forever altering the lives of those involved. Migdalia Ortega, a 51-year-old female, was found inside her third-floor apartment on Fresh Pond Road with a fatal gunshot wound to the head. For eleven years, Ortega had been a civilian member of the New York City Police Department, working in the information technology bureau.
The devastating event is believed to have stemmed from a domestic violence incident involving her boyfriend, 55-year-old Pedro Cintron.
The violence of that morning was not contained to Ortega's apartment. A concerned 48-year-old neighbor, upon hearing the commotion, went to check on Ortega. She was met with gunfire from Cintron, suffering wounds to her abdomen and shoulder. The injured neighbor was able to flee back to her own apartment, but the suspect followed and continued shooting. She was subsequently hospitalized in critical but stable condition and survived the attack.
In the immediate aftermath, Pedro Cintron fled the scene in a black vehicle, sparking a manhunt by the authorities. Images of Cintron were released to the public as the search for him intensified. The search, however, came to a grim conclusion two days later. On May 11, 2022, Cintron was discovered deceased in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, having apparently died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. His body was found between two cars, bringing an end to the search for the man responsible for the tragic events in Queens.
In the wake of this violence, the family of Migdalia Ortega has taken legal action. A lawsuit was filed against the New York City Fire Department and the New York City Police Department, alleging that a delay in receiving medical care contributed to her death. The estate is seeking $7 million in damages, citing negligence and a failure to provide timely medical assistance.
