Tragedy struck Lower Manhattan yesterday evening when two migrant teenagers were brutally assaulted, one fatally. The incident occurred around 7:40 p.m on John Street when three men inquired if the teens could communicate in English. After responding 'no,' the suspects launched a violent attack, as it was reported by ABC7 New York.
The victims, 17-year-old Yeremi Colino and an 18-year-old companion were immediately attended by medical services upon police arrival. Colino, living at the Roosevelt Hotel, suffered a chest wound and was pronounced dead at NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital, while his companion received treatment for a screwdriver stab wound in the arm, and is expected to recover, according to police.
Mason Garrity, a Pace University student, described a scene filled with chaos as the aftermath unfolded, "All the cops started coming down John Street from Broadway, There was a lot commotion, they started yelling at us to get out of the way, and I guess somebody got stabbed with either a pliers or a wooden stick. It was pretty chaotic. Cops were pushing people out of the way, trying to secure the scene and there was a lot of blood, there was a big trail like cross different parts of John Street," Garrity reported to ABC7 New York.
Information from The New York Post provided further eyewitness accounts, a grim recollection of blood and horror outside a ramen restaurant as one witness recalled seeing "a bunch of blood coming out of his mouth and maybe his neck as well. I’ve never seen so much blood in my life. The kid collapsed. He looked like he tried to get back up again. He collapsed again. It was like straight out of a horror movie." Javier Pau, a diner at the nearby establishment, was left lightheaded by the gruesome sight, losing his appetite after witnessing the aftermath of the assault.
No arrests have been made in connection with the murder, which marks the fourth in the 1st Precinct this year. Reflecting a stark contrast, 2023 did not record a single homicide in the same area. The NYPD is actively searching for the three men suspected to be involved: their descriptions include one wearing a green jacket, white pants and white sneakers, another in red pants and a red hooded sweatshirt paired with a black jacket, and a third individual attired in red sweatpants, red hooded sweatshirt, black jacket and blue and white sneakers. The investigation is ongoing.
