The tragic result of soft-on-crime policies left even New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) wondering “why he was on the street” after a fatal stabbing spree across Manhattan.
(Video Credit: PIX 11)
A deadly day in the Big Apple left three people slain after a suspect with an extensive criminal record and reported mental health issues allegedly committed multiple unprovoked attacks. Monday, after incidents on the West and East Side, 51-year-old Ramon Rivera was arrested roughly one month after he’d been released from prison.
PIX 11 reported that Rivera had been held at Rikers Island from Feb. 19 to Oct. 17, 2024, and had pleaded guilty to charges of burglary and assault in the third degree during a hearing in Aug. 2024, but was still released after eight months of a 364-day sentence with time served.
The same day of his release, he was arrested again on grand larceny charges over a $1,500 bowl he was alleged to have stolen from a store in Tribeca in Dec. 2023. Ahead of a Dec. 4 court date, prosecutors’ requests for bail were ignored, the New York Post reported, and Rivera was released under supervision.
Rivera was said to have been staying in a shelter near Bellevue Hospital, where he had spent several days in the psych ward in May and allegedly assaulted a corrections officer. Surveillance video shared by PIX 11 showed the suspect donning a jacket and gloves before pulling out a kitchen knife from a child’s backpack.
Along with a number of sets of gloves, two knives were recovered during the arrest of Rivera who had been tracked down with the help of a number of Samaritans including a British tourist, a United Nations diplomatic security worker, and a cab driver, according to the Post.
These were the knives that were recovered at today’s stabbing in Manhattan. pic.twitter.com/31hzHaIBao
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) November 18, 2024
While two of the victims of Monday’s tragedy, a 36-year-old construction worker waiting to be picked up from work and a 67-year-old man fishing in the East River, had yet to be publicly identified, the third victim, 36-year-old Wilma Augustin, had reportedly succumbed to her injuries Monday evening after she had been taken to the hospital.
During a press conference Monday, Adams said in part, “It is a clear, clear example of the criminal justice system and mental health system that continues to fail New Yorkers.”
“We are still looking over his record, but there’s a real question on why he was on the street,” he went on while crediting NYPD Officer Robert Garvey for the arrest. “If Officer Garvey was not there, these random acts of violence — this person conceivably would have continued those random acts of violence.”
“So, he saved the lives of fellow New Yorkers,” asserted Hizzoner with condolences to those impacted by the tragedy. “Our hearts go out to the families, goes out to other New Yorkers who observed such a terrible action. We will keep them in our prayers.”
Along with arrests in New York, Rivera’s record included arrests in Florida, New Jersey, and Ohio with charges including criminal mischief, assault, domestic violent battery, drunken driving, and procuring prostitutes, detailed the Post.
NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry similarly commended the officer in a post on X, “On behalf of the city, we want to personally thank Officer Garvey for his heroic efforts in placing cuffs on the suspect behind the stabbings in Manhattan. His commitment to justice and relentless pursuit of those who do evil are a true testament to what it means to be part of the FINEST.”
On behalf of the city, we want to personally thank Officer Garvey for his heroic efforts in placing cuffs on the suspect behind the stabbings in Manhattan. His commitment to justice and relentless pursuit of those who do evil are a true testament to what it means to be part of… pic.twitter.com/y1NR5GofMP
— NYPD Deputy Commissioner, Operations Kaz Daughtry (@NYPDDaughtry) November 18, 2024
Meanwhile, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny noted, “As of right now, these attacks seem to be unprovoked, that he just walked up to them and began to attack them with the knives.”
“No words exchanged,” he explained. “No property taken. Just attacked, viciously.”
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