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A stabbing spree unfolded in Manhattan on Monday, leaving three people dead. The suspect, Ramon Rivera, a 51-year-old homeless man with a history of mental illness and arrests, was apprehended after an hours-long rampage that spanned from Chelsea to the East River.
The attacks appeared random and unprovoked, according to authorities, reports the New York Post.
A day of terror in Manhattan
The violence began at 8.20am (local time) outside 444 West 19th Street in Chelsea, where Rivera allegedly stabbed construction worker Angel Gustavo Lata, 36, twice in the stomach.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene, with a woman pushing a stroller and screaming for help.
Lata, an Ecuadorian immigrant raising his nephew in the Bronx, succumbed to his injuries at Bellevue Hospital.
About two hours later, Rivera fatally stabbed 68-year-old fisherman Chang Wong near the East River at East 30th Street.
The final attack occurred near the United Nations on East 42nd Street, where Rivera allegedly stabbed 36-year-old Wilma Augustin multiple times. Augustin, a mother of an 8-year-old, later died in hospital.
A swift arrest with help from bystanders
Rivera was caught near the Turkish Mission to the UN after bystanders, including a cab driver and British tourist, alerted NYPD Officer Robert Garvey. Rivera, armed with two blood-stained kitchen knives, was taken into custody.
Authorities commended Officer Garvey and the witnesses for their quick actions, which likely prevented further violence.
A systemic failure?
Rivera, recently released from Rikers Island, had a long history of arrests for burglary, assault, and other crimes. He also had documented mental health issues. Mayor Eric Adams criticised the criminal justice and mental health systems, calling the tragedy a “wake-up call.”
Adams renewed calls for his controversial policy of involuntary hospitalisation for individuals with severe mental illness, arguing it could prevent such incidents. Critics, however, question the effectiveness and transparency of the programme.
“Today, we have three innocent New Yorkers, just going about their lives, who were the victims of a terrible, terrible assault,” he said, as quoted by New York Post. “It is a clear, clear example of the criminal justice system, mental health system that continues to fail New Yorkers.”
Legislative responses
In response to the tragedy, Governor Kathy Hochul pledged state resources to address systemic failures, reported CBS News.
Meanwhile, lawmakers proposed the ‘HELP’ Act to expand the pool of professionals authorised to recommend involuntary hospitalisations.
Rivera has been charged with first-degree murder and awaits further psychiatric evaluation. The families of the victims, devastated by the senseless loss, are demanding answers and justice.