Justice for Junior: NYPD reviewing whether officers failed to help Bronx stabbing victim Lesandro Guzman-Feliz
NEW YORK -- NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill said he does not see any wrongdoing by two officers who responded to the fatal stabbing of a 15-year-old in the Bronx last week.
As part of the stabbing investigation, the department became aware that two officers did not provide medical aid to Lesandro Guzman-Feliz when he collapsed outside St Barnabas Hospital.
In a video circulating on social media, Guzman-Feliz is seen covered in blood and dying outside St Barnabas Hospital. A woman is trying to stop the bleeding. Others are heard trying to comfort Lesandro while two police officers are seen standing back.
Commissioner O'Neill said the investigative unit is reviewing the video, but added that he is sure the officers did their best during a chaotic situation.
"The whole thing... I've never seen anything like it before. I'm not looking to turn two cops into scapegoats here," he said. "Our focus has to be on the people who committed this murder, not on the two cops that stopped to try to help Lesandro."
On Thursday, New York City Council Member Francisco Moya was demanding an investigation.
"It's a quick video, but that's why we need to get some answers," he said. "Before we rush into judgment, we should get an investigation, because what you see there is extremely disturbing. I think it's critical for us to see exactly what took place, what happened, what led to them just standing around while a young man is dying right across the street from a hospital."
"There have been no complaints filed regarding the response to the incident, and there is no IAB investigation," the NYPD said. "Officers responding to a different call were flagged down by civilians and directed to the victim, and an ambulance arrived just over one minute later."
The attack happened outside a bodega on East 183rd Street and Bathgate Avenue in the Tremont section just after 11:30 p.m. last Wednesday, in what authorities believe was a case of mistaken identity that left the entire community outraged.
Guzman-Feliz was dragged outside and slashed and stabbed with a machete after police say the group of gang members mistook him for a rival. The teen, who had hopes of becoming an NYPD detective, tried to run to St. Barnabas Hospital a block away but collapsed on the sidewalk.
There was no lack of urgency in the initial police response. "Send a bus (ambulance) to 2280 Bathgate Avenue, I need a unit," the police radio transmission said. "Female states a kid was stabbed at this location in the neck..ran to the hospital on foot, ran to St. Barnabas, might be one and the same. Also coming over at 2280 Bathgate Avenue for a kid that was stabbed in the neck. "
The video lasts just 45 seconds.
"It's difficult in these situations to render aid to someone who lost that much blood," said former NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce. "You see the young man, how much blood he lost, so it's difficult to say what they could have done, without any compresses, any kind of materials."
Boyce says police officers are not trained paramedics and some are not equipped with what would have been needed to treat this severe of an injury. And he says while the video is inconclusive as to whether they acted appropriately, the purple latex gloves an officer was wearing are a key detail.
"They were getting ready to act. One officer had gloves on, surgical gloves. I believe she was getting ready to act and then the tape cuts off," said Boyce.
The attack happened in the district of City Council member Ritchie Torres, who also happens to chair the Committee on Oversight and Investigations.
He says an NYPD or Department of Investigations probe is needed, adding, "Even if there was no misconduct on the part of the individual officers there could be a systemic issue at work here. Do we need to train officers to administer the same services or the same kind of help that an EMT would provide?"
"I'm gonna wait for all the investigation. I can't say nothing," said Junior's mother Leandra Feliz.
Her face lit up with pure joy as she showed us the autographed jerseys and sneakers that NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony and his wife LaLa personally delivered to her this week.
She hasn't seen the video yet because the controversy isn't important to her right now. "He's not gonna come back," said Leandra. "I have to learn how to live my new life without him."
Seven of the eight suspects arrested in the brutal murder of Guzman-Feliz made their first court appearances Wednesday, as thousands of mourners gathered to bid a final farewell to the boy affectionately known as Junior.
Six men were extradited from Paterson, New Jersey, to join the two others who were arrested in the Bronx. They are facing charges ranging from first-degree murder to assault in the death of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz.
The suspects were ordered held without bail and are due back in court on July 2
Kevin Alvarez, 19, was the first to be arrested Sunday night. He was charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter, gang assault and assault.
Police then raided a house in Paterson known as a hangout for the gang allegedly involved in the murder, taking six suspects into custody.
Their names and charges are as follows:
--Jose Muniz, 21, of Paterson: First- and second-degree murder, manslaughter, gang assault and assault with intent to cause serious injury with a weapon
--Jose Taverez, 21, of the Bronx: Second-degree murder, manslaughter, gang assault and assault with intent to cause serious injury with a weapon
--Manuel Rivera, 18, of the Bronx: Second-degree murder, manslaughter, gang assault and assault with intent to cause serious injury with a weapon, and criminal possession of a weapon
--Daniel Fernandez, 21, of the Bronx: Second-degree murder, manslaughter, gang assault and assault with intent to cause serious injury with a weapon
--Jonaiki Martinez-Estrella, 24, of Freeport: First- and second-degree murder, manslaughter, gang assault and assault with intent to cause serious injury with a weapon
--Antonio Santiago-Hernandez, 24, of the Bronx: First- and second-degree murder, manslaughter, gang assault and assault with intent to cause serious injury with a weapon
Then on Tuesday, 23-year-old Elvin Garcia was arrested in the Bronx. He is charged with first- and second-degree murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of weapon.
Authorities identified Martinez-Estrella, who has a prior arrest for robbing and beating a 14-year-old with a golf club in 2016, as the one who sliced the victim's neck.
