By David Greene
A week long dispute by two groups of Co-op City teens may have sparked a bloody, double stabbing that left two teens seriously wounded.
Police responded to 4220 Hutchinson River Parkway in Section Five, at 5:30 p.m., on Sunday, August 15th. At the scene, police discovered a victim, described by a police source as, "a male Black, 18-years old," and a second victim, “a male Hispanic, age 20."
According to the source, the 18-year old was, "stabbed multiple times in the torso," and at the time, was not expected to survive. The 20-year old was stabbed in the chest and was in stable condition, both were taken to Jacobi Medical Center.
Having just returned home, resident Gene Lopez recalled, "As soon as I came to the building, I saw kids running and two bodies on the floor in the back."
Lopez horrifically recalled, "One boy had multiple stab wounds, it looked like he was bleeding from multiple places. The other kid had his intestines coming out, like they twisted the knife and pulled it out. They wanted to kill him."
"I have never seen that much blood," Lopez continued, "There were a lot of kids running, more than a gang... like a heard." Lopez stated that, "Section Five," kids have been battling, "Valley kids," who live on the other side of I-95, on Baychester Avenue, for more than twenty-years.
Lopez claimed he had heard a woman threatening revenge in the minutes after the attack, and now thought out loud, "I just hope the guys don't retaliate. This had been a quiet building."
A second resident recalled his son watching the violence on his television, explaining, "My son was looking at the camera in the lobby and saw a commotion and someone running."
A third resident added, "It must be some knucklehead kids with nothing to do..." The woman, who claimed she knew the two victims, said the stabbing resulted from a dispute with teens from, "Section Three," the woman added, "They've been fighting all week."
The following day police announced that both victims are now expected to survive. Investigators will only say that the two victims, "are known to each other," and the violence stemmed from, "an ongoing dispute," prompting one tabloid to claim the two teens stabbed each other. Police added that so far no arrests have been made.
The double stabbing capped another bloody weekend across the borough, that began with the drive-by homicide of a 16-year old male, shot inside the courtyard of 3482 Fenton Avenue, at 12:40 a.m., on Saturday, August 14.
Police identified the victim as Tashawn Bromfield of Meridan, CT., who they say had been hanging out with friends. Investigators do not believe Bromfield was the intended target.
The unidentified teen was reported to have been shot in the chest and died at Jacobi Medical Center.
At 1 a.m., police were called to E. 209 Street and Decatur Avenue, where police discovered three people who had been shot. None of those injuries were believed to be life threatening.
At 1:30 a.m. a robbery victim was reported to have been shot in the leg at W. 234 Street and Broadway.
At just after 2 a.m., a fourth shooting was recorded at Morris Avenue and E. 184 Street. That victim was also expected to survive. Police were looking for the gunman, described as a male Black, wearing a black shirt and blue jeans.
Before sunrise, three additional victims were reported shot at Andrews Avenue and W. Burnside, Morris Avenue and E. 184 Street and E. 156 Street and Trinity Avenue.
Last weekend two people were killed and 10 were wounded in shootings around the borough, prompting Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., to issue a statement on the violence in which he vowed to work with NYPD brass with coming up with new crime fighting strategies.
Anyone with information on a violent unsolved crime can come forward anonymously and collect a $2,000 reward through the NYPD's CRIMESTOPPERS program at 1 (800) 577-TIPS.