On the first morning of the new year, New York City reported its initial homicides of 2025, one occurring in Harlem and the other in the Bronx. The Harlem incident involved a man who was fatally slashed near a bodega, and a suspect is now being held by the police. PIX11 reports that the attack took place at approximately 4:21 a.m. at the intersection of West 137th Street and Lenox Avenue. First responders transported the victim to Harlem Hospital where he was pronounced dead. As for specific details surrounding the motive and circumstances of the attack, they currently remain unclear as the case is still under investigation.
According to a statement obtained by amNewYork, a 39-year-old man was taken into custody as a person of interest. Charges are already to be pending. The 32nd Precinct, where the Harlem homicide occurred, reported a slight decrease in homicides for the previous year, noting that there were 9 in 2024, down from 11 the year prior. This follows a general trend in the city as the NYPD indicated a 3.8% decrease in reported homicides by late December of 2024 compared to the previous year.
An hour following the Harlem incident, a man was shot dead in the Bronx. The victim was identified as 46-year-old Mario Fowler. He was found with multiple gunshot wounds inside a building at 364 East 170th St., said the police. EMS teams swiftly carried Fowler to St. Barnabas Hospital where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. This shooting incident, too, left another man injured, a 23-year-old with a graze wound. He received treatment at Lincoln Hospital and is reported to be in stable condition.
The motive behind the Bronx shooting, which accounted for the second homicide of the year, has yet to be determined. No arrests have been as of yet made in connection with Fowler's death. The 44th Precinct, covering the area where the incident occurred, saw a slightly higher incidence of murder in 2024 compared to the year before and a small upturn in shootings. Individuals with any information related to either case can anonymously reach out to Crime Stoppers. Tips can be submitted by calling 800-577-TIPS, or for Spanish speakers at 888-57-PISTA. Information can also be provided online at the NYPD's Crime Stoppers website or through X @NYPDTips.
