STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The suspect arrested in connection with the shooting of the Gambino family crime boss, Francesco “Franky” Cali attempted to make a citizen’s arrest of Mayor Bill de Blasio and multiple other elected officials weeks before the slaying, authorities said.
NYPD Deputy Commissioner John Miller said that Anthony Comello, 24, of Eltingville, showed up at a federal courthouse in lower Manhattan, where he asked “to make a citizen’s arrest of a number of elected officials.”
According to Miller, Comello wanted to make a citizen’s arrest of Maxine Waters, the U.S. representative for California’s 43rd congressional district, and Adam Schiff, the U.S. representative for California’s 28th congressional district.
Comello was noted to be making “rambling statements” during the incident, Miller said, and “blamed Nancy Pelosi and all kinds of other people for stealing the election.”
It appears Comello was referencing the recent midterm election.
“Based on that incident and the language used there, his description and image, police officers who were assigned to Gracie Mansion recognized him as an individual that they encountered the following day, Feb. 22, as somebody who showed up asking to make a citizen’s arrest of the mayor,” Miller added.
While officers spoke to Comello following the Gracie Mansion incident, he reportedly left the scene before more police arrived.
Comello will be returned to Staten Island over the next week to face charges in the brazen assassination in which Cali, 53, was gunned down in front of his home on Hilltop Terrace on Wednesday. His wife, children and niece were home when Cali ran out front to check on what he thought was a car accident, but turned out to be an ambush.
During an extradition hearing in New Jersey on Monday, he held his open handcuffed palm up to reporters, showing a symbol and several words scrawled in pen. “MAGA forever” and “united we stand” were some of the phrases he had printed, while others were not entirely legible.
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