In a fiery exchange on social media, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a House Republican representing New York, criticized Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for her apparent silence following the shooting of two police officers in Ocasio-Cortez's district. Malliotakis pointed to Ocasio-Cortez's own remarks made during a congressional hearing, where she had condemned personal attacks.

On Tuesday night, Malliotakis addressed Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter, stating, "Hey Baby Girl, two cops were shot in your district by an illegal immigrant who we NOW find out is a Venezuelan gang member being housed in a hotel at our constituents' expense, and you still have NOTHING to say about it?? Really?" Alongside her message, Malliotakis attached a screenshot of a report from the New York Post, which highlighted the suspect's alleged ties to the "bloodthirsty" Tren de Aragua gang in Venezuela.

The suspect, identified as 19-year-old Bernardo Raul Castro Mata, was reportedly arrested in the shooting of NYPD officers Richard Yarusso and Christopher Abreu. According to sources, Castro Mata has a tattoo that investigators believe indicates his affiliation with the Venezuelan gang. Authorities disclosed that Castro Mata illegally entered the United States in July near Eagle Pass, Texas, and was residing in a migrant shelter in East Elmhurst, Queens. While he had no prior arrests in New York City, Castro Mata is suspected to be involved in a string of robberies with a crew utilizing motorized scooters for their crimes.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday, at the intersection of 89th Street and 23rd Avenue in the Elmhurst neighborhood of Queens. The two officers, who are part of the 115th Precinct's public safety unit, attempted to pull over Castro Mata, who was driving a scooter in the wrong direction. Castro Mata fled on foot and allegedly fired shots at the officers, who returned fire in response. Thankfully, both officers have been discharged from the hospital after sustaining injuries. Castro Mata himself was injured and underwent surgery for his ankle.

Fox News Digital contacted Rep. Ocasio-Cortez's congressional office for comment on the matter, but no response has been received thus far.

The confrontation between Malliotakis and Ocasio-Cortez stems from a previous altercation during a congressional hearing. When Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was being interrupted, she criticized Rep. Jasmine Crockett's "fake eyelashes." Ocasio-Cortez intervened, expressing her outrage at such personal attacks. Malliotakis invoked this incident to highlight what she saw as Ocasio-Cortez's failure to respond promptly to the shooting of the police officers in her district.

As the controversy unfolds, many are waiting to see if Rep. Ocasio-Cortez will address the incident and offer her perspective on the shooting and the suspect's alleged gang affiliation.

Please note that all the information in this article is based on the provided context and does not reflect any additional updates or developments on the matter.