A tense Sunday night in Morrisania left two men in the hospital after separate late night stabbings just two blocks apart, both victims expected to survive. The first attack unfolded near East 170th Street and Fulton Avenue around 9:30 p.m., and roughly an hour later another stabbing was reported near Third Avenue and St. Paul's Place. Police say one person was taken into custody after the later incident, while detectives are still working to sort out what led to the first attack.
According to News 12 Bronx, the first victim, a 23-year-old man, was stabbed in the abdomen and taken by EMS to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. The outlet reports that police say that attack started as a verbal dispute and that officers are searching for a suspect described as a man wearing a face mask, white T-shirt and black shorts. The second victim, a 29-year-old man, suffered multiple stab wounds and was also taken to St. Barnabas; officers detained a person of interest at that scene who police identified as 23-year-old Neelsen Rivas, now facing assault charges.
Recent incidents nearby
The two stabbings add to a string of violent incidents in the South Bronx this month that has neighbors and local officials increasingly vocal about late night safety. As reported by a recent daylight ambush on Boston Road, detectives have also been investigating a July 7 stabbing there that left a man with serious wounds. Local coverage and community leaders have renewed calls for stepped up patrols and urged anyone with video of these incidents to share it with investigators.
What police say and legal status
News 12 Bronx reports that the person held after the later attack, identified by police as Neelsen Rivas, 23, is facing assault charges in connection with that incident, while detectives continue to examine both scenes. So far, authorities have not linked the two stabbings to a broader pattern beyond what police described as a verbal dispute in one case. Officials say the investigations remain active and that charges and custody details could shift as more evidence is reviewed.
Anyone with information is asked to contact local police or the NYPD Crime Stoppers tipline, which accepts anonymous tips by phone or online, according to the NYPD. Investigators are urging anyone who may have recorded video of either scene to hold onto it and share it with detectives as they work to piece together exactly what happened.
