2 Charged In Connection With Mastic Beach Shooting: Police

MASTIC BEACH, NY — Suffolk police have released the names of two men arrested in connection with a shooting in Mastic Beach on June 3.

A man was struck in the leg "by a gunshot" outside of a home on Parkwood Drive at about 7:42 p.m. that night, and he was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

A short time later, John Argueta, 20, of Brentwood, drove away from a police officer investigating the shooting at a traffic stop, and ended up in a collision with another car in Shirley, police said.

A 7th Precinct officer tried to get Argueta to pull over at the intersection of Mastic Beach Road and Mastic Road in Mastic Beach, and Argueta's car was involved in a crash with another car down William Floyd Parkway at the intersection of Moriches Middle Island Road not too long after, police said.

No one was seriously injured in the crash, according to police.

Argueta, as well as a passenger in his car, Junior Argueta, 18, of Brentwood, was charged with second-degree assault in connection with the shooting, according to a police spokeswoman.

He was also charged with third-degree unlawful fleeing of a police officer in a motor vehicle, reckless driving, and endangering the welfare of a child for having an underaged teenager in the car with him at the time he fled, according to police.

Junior Argueta was caught with a loaded gun and he was additionally charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a felony, police said.

Central Islip attorney Robert Macedonio, who is representing the Argeutas, said that they “maintain their innocence.”

He continued by saying that he and his clients are “confident” that “after a full investigation is completed they will be exonerated of all charges.”