An attempted murderer has one big regret — he didn’t finish the job.
Bushwick parolee Robert Morales was sentenced to life in prison for shooting parole officer Samuel Salters three years ago, and later told authorities the victim was marked for death.
“Morales expressed regret that the gun jammed, because he admitted that he wanted to kill Salters,” said a spokesman for District Attorney Charles Hynes.
It’s not the first time Morales acted like he was above the law: the gunman previously served 25 years in prison for another murder conviction and was released on parole in 2002.
The parolee began reporting to Salters in 2010 and went out for a kill that year on April 15, when he fired a single shot at the officer from point-blank range inside the victim’s Schermerhorn Street office, striking him in the shoulder.
Another parole officer heard the shot and rushed into the room, where he realized the facility was under siege.
To take Morales into custody, the heroic officer tackled the gunman and placed him under arrest.
Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Alan Marrus sentenced Morales to 40 years to life for the attempted slaying, and an additional 30 years for aggravated assault.
Reach reporter Colin Mixson at cmixson@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-4514.
