He’s dodging yet another bullet.
The man who miraculously survived 21 police gunshots in last week’s deadly Harlem cop shootout hobbled on bandaged feet into court today — where he learned that he’s been charged with gun possession, but not with the more serious charge of attempted murder of a police officer.
Angel Alvarez, 23, remains held without bail as prosecutors and cops continue investigating the shooting, which happened August 8 at a Lenox Avenue block party crowded with 200 people.
“He didn’t shoot the cop,” his lawyer, Matthew Galluzzo, said in court, insisting that witnesses at the block party will back Alvarez’s account of innocence.
Some of the 21 bullets that struck Alvarez came from the gun of his rival at the violent party — Luis Soto, who was shot dead by police, the lawyer said.
If Alvaraz had indeed grabbed for Soto’s .38 cal. revolver, it was “a justifiable self defense,” the lawyer told a Manhattan criminal court judge in asking for his client’s release.
“The only reason this gun may have ended up in Mr. Alvarez’s possession is because he wrestled it away from Mr. Soto himself,” he said.
In fact, Alvarez is the victim, the lawyer added outside court.
“I think the shooting itself was wrongful. They shot him way too many times… The man has holes all over him.”
In asking that no bail be set, prosecutor Jon Veiga noted that Alvarez was a violent predicate felon who cops once overheard telling a fellow inmate, “I want to get those armor-piercing bullets that go through vests.”
A search warrant at Alvarez’ home turned up 30 Ziploc baggies containing white residue, along with a shoebox holding $87,000 cash. Soto, likewise, had 25 small bags of marijuana in his Bronx apartment, police said.
Alvarez had originally been charged by cops with trying to kill two police officers who suffered minor gunshot injuries. One of those cops was saved by his vest from a bullet to the chest — a bullet prosecutors now say was fired by another officer.
Even without the attempted murder charge, Alvarez faces a mandatory minimum of seven years and as much as 15 years prison if convicted of the weapons rap. He returns to court August 19.