Ex-Boyfriend Is Sought In Chinatown Assault
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Two men who attacked a woman and a police detective in Chinatown may be linked to the woman’s ex-boyfriend, police officials said yesterday.
Police said they are searching for the former boyfriend, Aleksander Vacaj, after he allegedly placed a series of threatening phone calls to the woman, Artenida Gjeli, in the lobby of an apartment building where she works, at 123 Baxter St., in the hours before the Wednesday night attack.
The police detective, Martin Carrano, 43, shot both of the attackers, killing one.
Police said Ms. Gjeli, 26, ended her relationship with Mr. Vacaj, 32, in February. She filed a harassment complaint against him May 17 in Astoria, Queens, saying he had slapped her in a bar, police said. Ms. Gjeli met Detective Carrano when she filed the complaint at the precinct where he worked, officials said. On Wednesday, he answered the phone when she called to make another complaint about Mr. Vacaj’s allegedly threatening phone calls that day.
Police are now investigating whether Mr. Vacaj, who has prior arrests for reckless endangerment and assault, hired the attackers or was otherwise connected to them, officials said.
A police department spokesman, Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne, identified the attacker who was killed as Eugene Moralez, who Mr. Browne said slashed Detective Carrano on the neck and Ms. Gjeli on the face with a razor blade commonly used in prison assaults. Police identified the other attacker as Andres Camue Martinez, 22, who allegedly brandished a broken Corona beer bottle. Police are waiting to question Mr. Martinez, who is on a breathing machine at St. Vincent’s Hospital after being shot in the chest and right arm.
Both of the alleged attackers have prior arrest records, according to police. On February 20, Mr. Martinez was arrested for impersonating a police officer while committing a robbery. Moralez had five prior arrests — four in New Jersey and one in Puerto Rico — for offenses including selling drugs and aggravated robbery.
Detective Carrano was released from Bellevue Hospital yesterday morning. Police officials said a preliminary assessment showed that the shooting was within police guidelines.
