A 13-year-old migrant from Ecuador and three unidentified accomplices allegedly attacked a man near Times Square on Sunday evening, according to police reports. The incident occurred around 9 p.m. at West 40th Street and Seventh Avenue when the group requested the 23-year-old man to take their photograph. Upon his refusal, the group reportedly assaulted him, punching him in the face and stabbing him in the back and leg with a brass-knuckle knife.
The assailants also attempted to steal the man’s cellphone but were unsuccessful. Following the attack, the group fled the scene. However, the police, in collaboration with the victim, were able to apprehend the 13-year-old boy after a search of the area.
The incident was initially reported by ViralNewsNYC. The arrested teenager, whose last known residence is the Roosevelt Hotel, known for its high crime rate, was charged with second-degree robbery. The victim declined medical assistance, with authorities stating that his stab wounds were superficial.
The three other suspects, who remain at large, were last seen wearing all-black clothing and black face masks. The arrested teenager has a previous arrest record. On October 26, he was apprehended in connection with a chain snatching incident on a northbound F train at McDonald Avenue and Avenue X in Brooklyn. In that incident, four other suspects were involved, and the victim, who was asleep before the robbery, attempted to fight off the attackers.
This incident comes in the wake of comments made by NYPD Chief of Crime Control Strategies, Michael Lipetri, who recently stated that the department is witnessing an unprecedented number of juvenile arrests. Lipetri noted that many of these young offenders are committing multiple robberies and are typically processed under Family Court statutes.