A stabbing on a busy East Village sidewalk in Manhattan left one man dead and two others injured on Sunday, June 23, 2024, police said.
At approximately 5:45 p.m., a 38-year-old man was fatally stabbed in the neck near Avenue A and East 14th Street in New York City. The incident also left a 51-year-old woman with a stab wound to her leg and a 32-year-old man with a knife wound to his lower back. All three victims were rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where the 38-year-old man succumbed to his injuries. The woman remains in critical condition, while the younger man is stable.
Police said Tuesday that two of the three stabbing victims were a married couple, with the husband losing his life after his throat was slashed.
Alejandro Piedra, a 30-year-old from Brooklyn, was arrested at the scene, and a cutting instrument was recovered. He faces charges from the NYPD with one count of second-degree murder showing depraved indifference and two counts of second-degree attempted murder also reflecting depraved indifference. Piedra claimed the act was self-defense.
During Piedra’s arraignment at Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday, prosecutors revealed that Piedra had a confrontation with a couple and another man on East 13th Street between First Avenue and Avenue A. Authorities stated that all four individuals were familiar with each other from the neighborhood.
In the course of the altercation, the man with the couple hit Piedra with a piece of wood. In response, Piedra pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the head and back, according to officials.
Piedra confessed to stabbing all three people but insisted that he believed his life was in jeopardy, officials reported.
“The deceased charged at the defendant, leading to a physical struggle,” said Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Daniel Makofsky. “As they squared off for a fistfight, an unidentified man came up behind the defendant and hit him on the back of the head with a glass lamp, causing the defendant to fall.”
Makofsky noted that the identity of the person who struck Piedra with the lamp remains unknown.
Piedra then pursued the husband and engaged in further fighting until they both stepped away. Makofsky said that Piedra brandished his knife while the husband picked up the broken lamp from the sidewalk.
The defendant approached the man’s wife, who was standing on the side of the street, and stabbed her multiple times, the prosecutor stated.
He also mentioned that the woman did not pose a threat to Piedra when he attacked her. After witnessing Piedra stab the woman, the husband hit him with the broken lamp.
Piedra then stabbed the husband several times, causing fatal injuries to his neck, according to prosecutors. Subsequently, he approached the woman again and stabbed her several more times, they mentioned.
The crime scene painted a gruesome picture, with pools of blood and scattered belongings littering the sidewalk. Witnesses described the chaotic aftermath as police and emergency responders worked to secure the area and attend to the victims.
Fozlul Karim, a local Domino’s Pizza manager, was inside his store when the violence erupted. “A customer ran in, shouting that people had been stabbed,” Karim recounted. “I rushed outside and saw officers and medics everywhere. It was terrifying.”
Community members expressed their fears and frustrations over the incident, highlighting ongoing safety concerns in the neighborhood. Olivia McLeod, who lives nearby, voiced her anxiety: “This is scary. I will keep my head on a swivel from now on.”
The East Village, particularly the area around East 14th Street and Avenue A, has been a hotbed of illicit activities, including illegal street vending and drug use, according to residents and local officials. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these issues, leading to an increase in homelessness and crime.
Council Member Keith Powers emphasized the need for immediate action. “The situation on 14th Street is out of control,” Powers stated. “It’s unacceptable to continue to have the conditions on the street remain status quo. We need every elected official and agency working to solve these problems: A dedicated NYPD presence to curb illicit activities, continued enforcement of illegal vendors, ongoing attention to trash and sanitation cleanup, and more.”
Mayor Eric Adams has previously acknowledged the challenges facing the East Village. Earlier this year, he described the area as “disgusting” during a community meeting and promised to address the rampant issues. However, residents argue that little has changed.
Witnesses to the attack described a scene of panic and horror. Shoppers leaving a nearby Trader Joe’s were caught off guard by the violence, with some crawling on the ground to escape the commotion.
Council Member Carlina Rivera echoed Powers’ sentiments, calling the area “chaotic and unkempt since the pandemic.” Rivera has contacted multiple city agencies to address local conditions, including the NYPD, Bellevue Hospital, the Department of Sanitation, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
The fatal stabbing has intensified calls for a more substantial and sustained police presence in the East Village. Residents and officials are urging swift action to restore safety and order to the troubled neighborhood.
“This madness has to end,” Powers concluded. “We need to work together to make our streets safe again.”
Piedra is due back in court on June 28.
