Jury finds Bronx man guilty of trying to kill Middletown police officer

A Bronx man was convicted Friday of the attempted murder of a city of Middletown police officer in 2020.

Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said a jury found Desean Owens, 31, guilty of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated first-degree assault, first-degree assault, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, first-degree reckless endangerment and first-degree criminal trespass, all felonies.

Prosecutors said Owens shot city of Middletown police Officer Evan Barone with a 9-millimeter pistol on Myrtle Avenue on Aug. 29, 2020.

According to prosecutors, Barone was flagged down while on patrol by a man who said Owens had illegally entered a house and was refusing to leave.

Barone accompanied the man to the house, and when Owens came out of that house, he fired a shot at Barone from the pistol. The bullet passed through Barone’s left arm, causing permanent damage to a nerve and shattering a bone. The bullet then hit Barone in the chest area of his body armor carrier.

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Barone immediately fired back, hitting Owens before he could fire again. Barone and Owens were taken to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries.

Hoovler said there was a car with children inside it behind Barone at the time of the shooting, which prompted the reckless endangerment charge.

Owens, who is being held at the Orange County Jail, faces up to 40 years to life in prison when he is sentenced on July 27 in Orange County Court. Hoovler said he will request the maximum sentence allowed by law.

“This defendant turned down a reasonable plea offer and claimed he was innocent despite that…