By Miguel Cruz Tejada
NEW YORK – Brooklyn-based Dominican comedian Marcos Cofresi (Leo and Leonardo), 30, is a former gang member who had previous arrests for criminal possession of marijuana and skipping train tickets to evade paying fares, according to your court file.
The comedian, who has performed at comedy clubs in Lower Manhattan and is a member of the “Stand Up” comedy troupe, was scheduled to debut in early March at one of the stand-up theaters in Times Square, “LOL Comedy Lounge.” on West 46th Street.
He was recently interviewed on the popular HBO Max show “Game Theory” on HBO Max hosted by Emmy Award-winning journalist and sportscaster Bomani Jones. Still, after the police identified him, he was removed from the theater’s listing.
“Leo Cofresi is a former Dominican gang member. On stage he has a devil’s advocate style with dumb jokes and observation,” says the promo for his performance at the comedy club.
Cofresi is also part of the comedy group “Front Street Tap Room,” presenting in different clubs in New York and other states.
He is accused of shooting the unidentified victim in the middle of an argument for unknown reasons, hitting the man with two bullets, in the stomach and forearm, on January 28, 2023.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) hotline has established a $3,500 reward for information on his whereabouts.
Police say Cofresi was the suspected gunman involved in the shooting on the N train a month ago when he shot a 34-year-old man in the stomach and forearm as they argued while traveling south.
Police confirmed that the comedian was out with a female friend the night of the shooting, and he and the woman got into a fight with the victim at 1:00 a.m. m. of January 28.
The argument turned violent, and as the train stopped at Canal Street and Broadway Avenue in Chinatown, Cofresi fired two rounds at the man, who was admitted to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.
Cofresi likes to talk about crime and the police in his performances.
Cofresi performed at the Front Street Tap Room in Fargo, North Dakota, in August as part of an “NYC Friends” company tour.
Earlier this month, the NYPD sought the public’s help finding the suspect, and it wasn’t to get his autograph.
The gunman, wearing white leggings decorated with a skull, fled with the woman as the train pulled into the station, police said.
“He is a comedian wanted for a shooting. There was a pothole. Marcos pulls out a gun,” NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig said Friday.
Cofresi is approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall and was also seen wearing a dark-colored jacket with “New York” written on the front, dark-colored sweatpants, gray sneakers, and a “New York Yankees” baseball cap. He described the police.
