Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Paublo Torres was indicted on charges of murder in the second degree, assault and other crimes for fatally shooting 34-year-old Denis Enrique Reyes-Nunez, his half-brother, at a crowded Hollis sports bar in February. The bar manager was also injured in the shooting.

District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged, this defendant turned a crowded Hollis sports bar into a shooting gallery in February. Paublo Torres murdered his half-brother and wounded a bar manager during a senseless rampage and miraculously no one else was seriously hurt or injured. A grand jury has now returned serious charges against the defendant.”

Torres, 21, of Jamaica who is also known as Pablo Nunez and Pablo Torres, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with murder in the second degree, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, assault in the second degree, menacing in the second degree and reckless endangerment in the first degree. Queens Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant remanded the defendant and ordered him to return to court on June 26. If convicted, Torres faces in excess of 25 years to life in prison.

DA Katz said that, according to the charges and investigation, on February 21, at approximately 1:39 a.m. Torres and Reyes-Nunez were at the El Catracho bar on Jamaica Avenue in Hollis. A fight began inside the bar and Reyes-Nunez was removed from the premises by a bouncer.

Reyes-Nunez attempted to get back inside. Torres, who was inside the crowded bar, allegedly removed a gun from his waistband, walked toward the door and fired as the bar manager was holding the door closed from the inside. The manager suffered a graze wound on the side of his face from a bullet.

Reyes-Nunez was able to re-enter the bar and as he walked inside the defendant fired the weapon again, striking the victim twice.

The defendant then pointed the gun at a man outside the bar and said in sum and substance, “Do you want me to kill you, too?”

Reyes-Nunez was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead from gunshot injuries to his torso.

After the shooting, police recovered live ammunition rounds near the bar’s doorway and near a pool table, and a spent shell casing outside the bar.

Torres surrendered to officers from the 103rd Precinct on March 26.

Assistant District Attorney Nicole Rella of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney Matthew Hauszpigel under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney John Kosinski, Bureau Chief, and Karen Ross and Jonathan Selkowe, Deputy Bureau Chiefs, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.